COVENTRY | Full Summary of Projects

[Scazmattaz]

If it doesn't work i probably shouldn't have posted it!!

Trinity Street is on the upturn now, that new employment agency has opened (which i suggested itd be a good location for services etc) and one of the other empty units has been approved for change of use from A1 - Shop, to A2 - Financial and Professional Services.

[jonbon88]

ikea seem to be opening some sort of store in the lower pricinct where sainsburys used to be. cant understand why or what it for yet.

[rottersclub]

ikea seem to be opening some sort of store in the lower pricinct where sainsburys used to be. cant understand why or what it for yet.


Maybe they're going to setup a recruitment centre there?

[sleslie48]

I dont think Kong is closing down. The shop next to it did, but that used to be owned by them, not sure if they let it, a similar shop has gone in anyway. There's a new section of the shop, or maybe that shop thats just opened that has been advertising it'self as selling vintage clothing and records. Think your shop may have returned Martin! Unusual for coventry!

[sleslie48]

Was looking for information on cathedral lanes on ic coventry. Found this from 2003, this shows why nothing ever gets done! Ridiculous, Im assuming it's talking about the county hall. So annoying. Hope it doesnt happen this time.

Building could be ruined by bar
Dec 20 2003

By Dean Valler

Plans for a new bar and restaurant in one of Coventry's oldest buildings have been criticised by a heritage campaigner who fears the building will be ruined.

Developers behind the project - in Bayley Lane - say it's making use of an empty building and stress they have no intention of damaging its historical value.

The building, next to Coventry Cathedral, dates back to 1500, is made of medieval timber and was formerly a shop and solicitors.

The work has been given the go-ahead by Coventry City Council's planning department and English Heritage has raised no objections.

But Kath Edwards of Cheylesmore, a member of the Coventry Society, which was set up to preserve the city's heritage, is worried the building could be irreparably damaged.

The Coventrian, who grew up near Foleshill Road and wrote a letter of complaint to the council, is also worried there are too many bars in the city centre.

She fears any adjustments to turn the building into a bar and restaurant could see some aspects of the building - which has stood for centuries - being removed.

She said: "I'm not sure that many people know about these plans and if a lot of people did I'm sure others would be concerned about it - it should not be allowed to go ahead."

Businessmen Jas Jaspal, 42, and Brian Mills, owner of The Gallery in Earlsdon, who are financing the work, say they are liaising with English Heritage on everything.

Mr Jaspal said: "It brings in to use a building that has been left empty and there are too many attractive aspects to the structure that we want to keep to change anything."

He said work would be completed in two phases, with the ground floor being completed in time for opening by next summer, and the upstairs finished early in 2005.

[rottersclub]

Was looking for information on cathedral lanes on ic coventry. Found this from 2003, this shows why nothing ever gets done! Ridiculous, Im assuming it's talking about the county hall. So annoying. Hope it doesnt happen this time.

Building could be ruined by bar
Dec 20 2003

By Dean Valler

Plans for a new bar and restaurant in one of Coventry's oldest buildings have been criticised by a heritage campaigner who fears the building will be ruined.

Developers behind the project - in Bayley Lane - say it's making use of an empty building and stress they have no intention of damaging its historical value.

The building, next to Coventry Cathedral, dates back to 1500, is made of medieval timber and was formerly a shop and solicitors.

The work has been given the go-ahead by Coventry City Council's planning department and English Heritage has raised no objections.

But Kath Edwards of Cheylesmore, a member of the Coventry Society, which was set up to preserve the city's heritage, is worried the building could be irreparably damaged.

The Coventrian, who grew up near Foleshill Road and wrote a letter of complaint to the council, is also worried there are too many bars in the city centre.

She fears any adjustments to turn the building into a bar and restaurant could see some aspects of the building - which has stood for centuries - being removed.

She said: "I'm not sure that many people know about these plans and if a lot of people did I'm sure others would be concerned about it - it should not be allowed to go ahead."

Businessmen Jas Jaspal, 42, and Brian Mills, owner of The Gallery in Earlsdon, who are financing the work, say they are liaising with English Heritage on everything.

Mr Jaspal said: "It brings in to use a building that has been left empty and there are too many attractive aspects to the structure that we want to keep to change anything."

He said work would be completed in two phases, with the ground floor being completed in time for opening by next summer, and the upstairs finished early in 2005.


That Coventry Society are an absolute PAIN. They object to EVERYTHING and send snipe letters to the council objecting as well.

That building has been EMPTY for 20 years. It's not going to be a museum, it's not going to be a tourist attraction. It's being brought back into use as a bar/restaurant.

Why don't these self appointing "saviours" bog off and do something else with their time!

[BobbyB]

Here Bloody Here!!!!

Where were these people in the 1950,s and 1960,s when old Coventry (street plan and all)was being torn down and replaced with a concrete Jungle????
Unfortunately these people tend to have time on their hands enabling countless letter writing objections to all and any new development in the city..
I am all for preserving what,s worth preserving, but to seemingly object to all new ventures amazes me.

[sleslie48]

Take a look at their website, it's quite intresting! The belgrade square isn't up to standards. Can we start a society and try make a difference/have an influence? Call ourselves the Coventry Crusaders or something!

[rottersclub]

Here Bloody Here!!!!

Where were these people in the 1950,s and 1960,s when old Coventry (street plan and all)was being torn down and replaced with a concrete Jungle????
Unfortunately these people tend to have time on their hands enabling countless letter writing objections to all and any new development in the city..
I am all for preserving what,s worth preserving, but to seemingly object to all new ventures amazes me.

They think Coventry is York. They can't see that Coventry is a 20th century city, filled with buildings and ideas from the 20th century. It just happens that it's built on a medieval city that was destroyed apart from a few fragments. It's filled with big, square, city buildings - tower blocks, precincts, office blocks, etc, etc.

Some of their points are valid about the old stuff is neglected, but you can't preserve it in vinegar. They're annoying idiots who think you can stuff a museum in an old building and that's it, without understanding that museums perform research, employ staff, buy exhibits, produce things - they're not just buildings filled with things - and if they are, they're generally rubbish museums. This seems to be their answer for everything "let's turn it into a musuem!"

The re-use of old buildings has to something that brings the building back into contemporary use - if Coventry was filled with old mills, they'd be turned into apartment blocks and bars and restaurants and maybe shops. Old buildings are not suitable for offices, and the location of the medieval stuff in Coventry makes them unsuitable for housing - leisure use is the only viable use.

Although I don't see that Whitefriars Abbey can be used for anything due to its poor location, and that is an inexusably atrocious piece of town planning that should never have got off the drawing board.

I've read some of their so-called "Objection" letters, and they are smug, arrogant and annoying. They'd want everything built in fake Victorian style, or fake mock tudor style, and everything 2 floors high.

Sad thing is, these jokers get listened to, and are there at every meeting.

[ccfc-4-life]

they are the scurge of the city...

[rottersclub]

C'mon, where's your support for the Butts development!!!!!!!

The objectors are winning!

[Jags]

my support went in a few days ago. Just kept it short and breif.

[Jags]

I dont think Kong is closing down. The shop next to it did, but that used to be owned by them, not sure if they let it, a similar shop has gone in anyway. There's a new section of the shop, or maybe that shop thats just opened that has been advertising it'self as selling vintage clothing and records. Think your shop may have returned Martin! Unusual for coventry!

iv heard its just going to have a refurb and not close down, its a really good shop, most of cov uni shop there from what iv heard.

[Jags]

Maybe they're going to setup a recruitment centre there?

no its not recruitemnt, i think its a small show room(i had a quick peek before i went to work) its got a show room inside it. Plus on my way home this evening i saw an Ikea van going into the city centre.

[Jags]

i hope they get some good stores in millennium view. trinity street need a boost to its retail, it just seems to be a endless line of cheap newsagents and charity shops. trinity street could make a good shopping street if it began to attract a wider range of stores,

personaly i dont think it will have any retail units, i thik they will all be leisure units, because of the area. Its perfect for some chain restaurants/bars to move into because its a new development, all glazed and facing a nice square. I can also see some of the recruitment agencies moving from the burges into trinity street when that awefull sq gets built, i think they may end up moving to trinity street. I didnt realise that the space above the units in trinity street were owned by cov uni.They seem to own a lot of land in the centre (theyre like bloody tesco!)

[rottersclub]

my support went in a few days ago. Just kept it short and breif.


Yup, saw it.
I'm impressed with the Friargate building#1 development.

[rottersclub]

personaly i dont think it will have any retail units, i thik they will all be leisure units, because of the area. Its perfect for some chain restaurants/bars to move into because its a new development, all glazed and facing a nice square. I can also see some of the recruitment agencies moving from the burges into trinity street when that awefull sq gets built, i think they may end up moving to trinity street. I didnt realise that the space above the units in trinity street were owned by cov uni.They seem to own a lot of land in the centre (theyre like bloody tesco!)

Yup, Cov Uni had a deparment up there when I was a student - you got into it near Pizza Hut. That is a horrible area. I wish they'd demolish it.

[Jags]

i think the enterance is now in the middle of trinity street.

[Dr Pepper]

I didnt realise that the space above the units in trinity street were owned by cov uni.They seem to own a lot of land in the centre (theyre like bloody tesco!)

The uni has it's personel center there, I dropped off a couple of job applications there for my wife. The new building the uni are building next to the Herbert, is that a new personel centre or IT centre? I can't remember.

If you go behind that building there is a long ramp that that goes down underneath for deliveries etc.

[Dr Pepper]

I was in the Herbert today and there is a looped computer animation display of a fly around the new extention. It's on a screen opposite the reception desk.

[Scazmattaz]

Coventry has today been announced to be the 3rd best business location in the U.K. after London and Birmingham by a professional publication.

We really need some speculative office development in the City Centre... hopefully this might encourage even a tiny bit.

[jonbon88]

Coventry has today been announced to be the 3rd best business location in the U.K. after London and Birmingham by a professional publication.

We really need some speculative office development in the City Centre... hopefully this might encourage even a tiny bit.

this sounds like great news for the city.
things can only get better.

[Jags]

to be fair it has consistently been ranked in the top ten for the last few years, or earmarked as the next best thing, but nothing has never really happened. But on the other hand there is a lot of new office development in the centre which could be filled with this great news.

[rottersclub]

Coventry has today been announced to be the 3rd best business location in the U.K. after London and Birmingham by a professional publication.

We really need some speculative office development in the City Centre... hopefully this might encourage even a tiny bit.

Interesting - it always seems to do well in these things. Now maybe we'll see some action with Friargate and the rest.

No sign of Belgrade Plaza starting.

[Jags]

Just a few updates.

Ansty update
Ericsson, Tata Motors Research and Development Centre and a Medical Technologies Science and Business Park could be part of the final mix on the Ansty site. Tata has confirmed Ansty as its only UK site option and Advantage West Midlands is drawing up an Ansty prospectus or an Ericsson Centre of Excellence plus Telent whose leases are due to expire at New Century Business Park. Work is expected to start on the infrastructure for Ansty in the Spring.

Accountants Baker Tilley are leaving their Coventry offices for a new base in Birmingham. The firm, which employs 36 people at its offices in Station Square, will not be making any redundancies; it will be asking workers to commute to their new base in the City Plaza, off Corporation Street in Birmingham City Centre.

The King’s Arms and Castle Hotel in Kenilworth is currently being converted into three retail units and nine luxury flats. National restaurant chain ASK has already confirmed it will be opening an outlet in the development and the two other commercial premises are now available. The units will be ready or business by August 2007.

Coventry University is to develop the Health Design and Technology Institute at Coventry University Technology Park. It will be housed in a new building and has a 10 year funding agreement with the Higher Education Funding Council. The Institute will assist regional companies to pioneer new products in community healthcare.

[Jags]

Interesting - it always seems to do well in these things. Now maybe we'll see some action with Friargate and the rest.

No sign of Belgrade Plaza starting.

I think the developers have run into some tkind of difficulty with belgrade plaza, most developers would have started this by now, they wouldnt wait 3-4 months to begin the next phase of the development. Could it be financial difficulties? or could it be that they are selling the development?

[rottersclub]

I think the developers have run into some tkind of difficulty with belgrade plaza, most developers would have started this by now, they wouldnt wait 3-4 months to begin the next phase of the development. Could it be financial difficulties? or could it be that they are selling the development?

I don't know - maybe they're sorting out a contractor, but there's no sign of anything going down on the site. It looks a bit odd, with that giant car park all by itself with nothing around it!

[Jags]

yea i agree, because u think they would start moving machinery and materials onto the site, or even start the ground work. But im concerned, i think its financial, i think the developers may have bitten off more than they can chew with this one.

[rottersclub]

Just a few updates.

Ansty update
Ericsson, Tata Motors Research and Development Centre and a Medical Technologies Science and Business Park could be part of the final mix on the Ansty site. Tata has confirmed Ansty as its only UK site option and Advantage West Midlands is drawing up an Ansty prospectus or an Ericsson Centre of Excellence plus Telent whose leases are due to expire at New Century Business Park. Work is expected to start on the infrastructure for Ansty in the Spring.

Accountants Baker Tilley are leaving their Coventry offices for a new base in Birmingham. The firm, which employs 36 people at its offices in Station Square, will not be making any redundancies; it will be asking workers to commute to their new base in the City Plaza, off Corporation Street in Birmingham City Centre.

The King’s Arms and Castle Hotel in Kenilworth is currently being converted into three retail units and nine luxury flats. National restaurant chain ASK has already confirmed it will be opening an outlet in the development and the two other commercial premises are now available. The units will be ready or business by August 2007.

Coventry University is to develop the Health Design and Technology Institute at Coventry University Technology Park. It will be housed in a new building and has a 10 year funding agreement with the Higher Education Funding Council. The Institute will assist regional companies to pioneer new products in community healthcare.

Kenilworth seems to be doing better than Coventry for retailers. Costa Coffee, Waitrose, ASK...

Ansty is good news. Good if Ericsson do stay here, along with Telent & Tata. Losing professional sector stuff isn't good - especially as Friargate is supposed to BE an "professional quarter". Although they are only moving because their lease is up.

I notice IKEA have opened up a small shop in the lower precinct.

[rottersclub]

yea i agree, because u think they would start moving machinery and materials onto the site, or even start the ground work. But im concerned, i think its financial, i think the developers may have bitten off more than they can chew with this one.

Maybe Scazmattaz knows more. He seems to be in the know.

[hello123]

No No No, the building in Trinity Street is not owned by Coventry University. The Personnel department were housed in this building (donington house) but this was leased. The Lease ran out this year, and i was working in this building and have now been relocated to another University building.

Also at the top of trinity street there is an entrance to burges house another builidng that was leased and now not part of cov uni so this wasnt a former entrance to donington house.

Also rumours were when we left donington house that the building was going to be turned into apartments.

[rottersclub]

No No No, the building in Trinity Street is not owned by Coventry University. The Personnel department were housed in this building (donington house) but this was leased. The Lease ran out this year, and i was working in this building and have now been relocated to another University building.

Also at the top of trinity street there is an entrance to burges house another builidng that was leased and now not part of cov uni so this wasnt a former entrance to donington house.

Also rumours were when we left donington house that the building was going to be turned into apartments.

The building at the top of trinity street (Burges) house is the one I remember as being a Poly department (When I was there, it was a Poly!)...

The whole campus is an absolute eyesore.

[ccfc-4-life]

hello HELLO123!
lol

[sleslie48]

Im pretty sure the entrance at the top of trinity street isn't used anymore, it looks abandoned. There was actual crap up the wall there when i walked around it last week, and it's still there today! That sums it up really i think.

Would be good if they were turned into apartments

[rottersclub]

Big development for shopping precinct:

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=precinct-to-get-huge-makeover%26method=full%26objectid=18927238%26siteid=50003-name_page.html

[Jags]

all they have done is reiterate what i said on the forums about 2 weeks ago, rubbish reporting as usual. But good news if it happens. But they do make it out to be big, it seens to take in both wings of the precinct and the upper precinct.

[Jags]

i remember we were talking about the bt building onnew union street the other day and how it would be a great place for a new building, but it loks like it isnt going anywhere very soon, they are about to complete a refurbishment of some of the floors in the building to add more exchanges from other companies.

[sleslie48]

Did it say anything about the market end of smithford way? Nothing stood out to me. To be honest I'm surprised and think it's a shame that they havent sorted out the area around Ikea sooner. It should have been finihsed for when it opens. A missed opportunity as many people will, come see the state of the city and probably not come back

[rottersclub]

Did it say anything about the market end of smithford way? Nothing stood out to me. To be honest I'm surprised and think it's a shame that they havent sorted out the area around Ikea sooner. It should have been finihsed for when it opens. A missed opportunity as many people will, come see the state of the city and probably not come back


It seems to mainly concentrated around Corporation Street, which I think is a good thing. Although I agree about the Ikea end - they should be sorting that out. It's a disgrace.

[ccfc-4-life]

instead of revamping the precinct, i wish they could just knock it down and start again, no amount of money could dramatically improve the way the precinct looks and feels-it is dull!

[inspired]

i hope that the council can bring the developers and landlords around one table to try and develop the area in one cohesive development, rather than it be a piecemeal development.

Its good to see that they are concentrating on the corporation street end.:banana:

[rottersclub]

i hope that the council can bring the developers and landlords around one table to try and develop the area in one cohesive development, rather than it be a piecemeal development.

Its good to see that they are concentrating on the corporation street end.:banana:

This may make corporation street into the main drag of the city centre - if you think about it, from Priory place down to the Belgrade Plaza and then Ikea then Friargate at the station This also takes in the bottom of Spon Street, has plenty of access into the precinct (Or whatever they become) and also links with Skydome and the Theatre and the new office development.

At the moment the Upper precinct/Broadgate is the main focus - purely for historical reasons, as this was the main centre of the medieval city. The trouble is, they don't go anywhere anymore - they've been hemmed in.

I think this all points to perhaps a major change for the main focus of the city centre.

[rottersclub]

Belgrade Plaza IS going ahead - I e-mailled them, and they responded to say that contracts are currently being sorted out.

[Scazmattaz]

Im very surprised about this announcement by the Telegraph about this major retail redevelopment. Its nothing that has been mooted before so i remain sceptical.

Belgrade Plaza - Start MAY 2007
Cov Uni - Prioiry Hall - currently looking at building a replacement

[rottersclub]

Im very surprised about this announcement by the Telegraph about this major retail redevelopment. Its nothing that has been mooted before so i remain sceptical.

Belgrade Plaza - Start MAY 2007
Cov Uni - Prioiry Hall - currently looking at building a replacement

Yeah, they were talking about the precinct thing 4-5 years ago... Poss more. They've also been mooting barracks car park for even longer.

Hooray, Priory Hall gone! I hope they keep a part of 20 storeys though.

[inspired]

excellent news about priory, this should open up that area nicely with decent fews up that road towards to cathedral. Would look like a nice place if they landscape that area ........ and take down the hotel building. ...eerrrmmm and also the bingo hall opposite as well as pool meadow..lol

[rottersclub]

excellent news about priory, this should open up that area nicely with decent fews up that road towards to cathedral. Would look like a nice place if they landscape that area ........ and take down the hotel building. ...eerrrmmm and also the bingo hall opposite as well as pool meadow..lol

Don't forget the elephant, the bus depot, the elevated ringroad - I've given the swimming pool a reprieve - and the rest of Cov Uni campus. Whil we're at it, the sorting office, bishop street, all that tat around Lamb Street...

[sleslie48]

.....hertford street and new union street.....

[BobbyB]

There was talk of demolishing the old remaining part of Smithford Way opposite Debenhams and Body shop..This would open up space looking over towards Belgrade Theatre /Plaza.This could provide a linkage from the New Belgrade Plaza directly to the Precinct.Maybe the new owners of West Orchards could be allowed to expand out that way giving some frontage onto Corp Street.
This would be In line with Martin,s thoughts of a main drag from Priory Place thru to Ikea/Friarsgate

[Scazmattaz]

Id like to see West Orchards go toward Belgrade through the existing Smithford Way but i dont want its arse sticking into Corporation street without any frontages (just fire exits!) - it needs some frontage onto Corp street and some accesses through.

[rottersclub]

I notice the Sprint is still going to go through ANOTHER consultation period...

http://www.sprint-there.co.uk/content.asp?ThreadNo=3&PagesID=662&size=


This is a joke. It's a BUS. They've been talking about it for years. They've done one lot of consultation? Now the result of that is they want more consultation!

I don't think this'll ever happen - it's an absolute joke. I think they should stop wasting money on it now.

[Jags]

Its good to hear that belgrade plaza is happening, the retail development must be linked to belgrade plaza to work, otherwise its a waste of time really, the corporation street area has definitly become the main drag of the city and with all the developments happening along it, it could make it a great street scene for the city, which it hasnt had for over 50 years. But frontage is the key to it, there must be leisure and retail frontage for it to work and look good. But i do think there needs to be a small element of street parking aswell to create that street scene.

[Jags]

also the last part of the arena development is going to comprise of two units, one will be taken by river island and the other by gap. This will really kill off the city centre me thinks, these shops are the only one that people go into town for.

[Dr Pepper]

Cov Uni - Prioiry Hall - currently looking at building a replacement

Priory fun palace in the sky RIP.

[Dr Pepper]

also the last part of the arena development is going to comprise of two units, one will be taken by river island and the other by gap. This will really kill off the city centre me thinks, these shops are the only one that people go into town for.

The only other GAP is at Central Six. Can Coventry support 2? I hope not.

Not all of the retail parks in Cov seem to be doing well. The Powerhouse store at Gallagher is still empty as is the old Courts at the retail park just off Tollbar Island. I can't see some of the big furniture shops staying open long once Ikea opens either.

[rottersclub]

The only other GAP is at Central Six. Can Coventry support 2? I hope not.

Not all of the retail parks in Cov seem to be doing well. The Powerhouse store at Gallagher is still empty as is the old Courts at the retail park just off Tollbar Island. I can't see some of the big furniture shops staying open long once Ikea opens either.

They applied for permission to split Courts up into smaller units... Not sure what happened.

Gallagher and Tollbar are in poor parts of Coventry. It's no surprise they're not doing well.

[Jags]

The only other GAP is at Central Six. Can Coventry support 2? I hope not.

Not all of the retail parks in Cov seem to be doing well. The Powerhouse store at Gallagher is still empty as is the old Courts at the retail park just off Tollbar Island. I can't see some of the big furniture shops staying open long once Ikea opens either.

the money in the economy is there, but it will take a huge overhaul of the city in terms of business, retail and accomodation, the housing stock in coventry is very average, untill this changes significantly we wont really see much change to the local economy. Westwood, gibbet hill, styvichal, earlsdon and balsall common are the only real affluent areas of coventry but there are areas in the north that are very affluent with the likes of tamworth road, kersely, fillongley and even to some extent coundon and allsely. The areas around these small hubs need to be improved drastically to house all the potential new people coming into the city.

[rottersclub]

the money in the economy is there, but it will take a huge overhaul of the city in terms of business, retail and accomodation, the housing stock in coventry is very average, untill this changes significantly we wont really see much change to the local economy. Westwood, gibbet hill, styvichal, earlsdon and balsall common are the only real affluent areas of coventry but there are areas in the north that are very affluent with the likes of tamworth road, kersely, fillongley and even to some extent coundon and allsely. The areas around these small hubs need to be improved drastically to house all the potential new people coming into the city.

Coventry's housing stock is very poor, but also the areas are very poorly served by local facilities - despite a lot of Coventry having small regional centres, they are generally run down and lacking. Much of Coventry is a sprawl of terraces/semi detached housing built either after WWI or WWII and all very poor quality and badly planned and poorly laid out. Many areas have lost their social facilities, and they are building apartment blocks everywhere. These people will move into their new apartment and discover that they've got nothing local to them. Most of the pubs around the city are gradually being demolished or turned into restaurants.

I notice Ball Hill is now in a real state of decline - Dolland and Aitchinson has moved out, the expensive fireplace store is now a 99p store, the Thai Restaurant has gone, the Manhattan Deli didn't last long, and the gift shop - special occasions - has gone. Kwik Save is in decline, and I notice one of the other stores has closed. And the "Oregano Pizza" has now a nice sign for "Eastern Fried Chicken". This has been happening slowly over the last four years, and was one of the reasons we moved out of Stoke, as we could see it coming.

I once had a work colleague who looked at buying a house in Coventry, but gave up. He just said no matter where he looked, there was always some rough looking estate down the road, and he couldn't afford the Southern suburbs. So he bought elsewhere and commuted in.

[Scazmattaz]

I notice the Sprint is still going to go through ANOTHER consultation period...

http://www.sprint-there.co.uk/content.asp?ThreadNo=3&PagesID=662&size=


This is a joke. It's a BUS. They've been talking about it for years. They've done one lot of consultation? Now the result of that is they want more consultation!

I don't think this'll ever happen - it's an absolute joke. I think they should stop wasting money on it now.

Hold your horses MartinN things have been a bit OTT at city development recently and current projects have taken the frontrun. Sprint is developing and might be more than just Sprint... ...

Oh and the money to research into it has come from a development pot at central government, so another city could have wasted it and you'd never have known.

[Scazmattaz]

They applied for permission to split Courts up into smaller units... Not sure what happened.

Gallagher and Tollbar are in poor parts of Coventry. It's no surprise they're not doing well.

Theres no market to retail warehousing in Cov now, its saturated. We have 7 parks already and the new Binley one will have Boots, Halfords, Woolworths and something mainstream i cant remember. They are stretching themselves far too much and the city centre will prevail. Trust me.

River Island at Arena - ill believe it when i see it. GAP yeah cos theres no GAP in the Nuneaton area and thats what they'll be looking to serve, however one of the Central Six units is moving out so maybe thats them? No idea TBH but my retail expert buddy says the retail parks have already far exceeded their local spending capacity. Something will crash.

[rottersclub]

...

[rottersclub]

Hold your horses MartinN things have been a bit OTT at city development recently and current projects have taken the frontrun. Sprint is developing and might be more than just Sprint... ...

Oh and the money to research into it has come from a development pot at central government, so another city could have wasted it and you'd never have known.

"A bit more than Sprint"?

Like what?

Sprint doesn't seem to be developing from the documents I've read on the net - it seems to be undeveloping, with councils in Warwickshire appearing to have no interest in the idea, and Kenilworth already bowing out... And that document Faber Maunsell have on the Sprint Website??? How many years? And they manage a 3 page document that looks like the work of an a amateur.

I hope it does go ahead, as it looks like a good idea - especially with light railway out of favour.

This is really just a bus - why is it taking so long to get a bus running? Or am I missing something.

[rottersclub]

Theres no market to retail warehousing in Cov now, its saturated. We have 7 parks already and the new Binley one will have Boots, Halfords, Woolworths and something mainstream i cant remember. They are stretching themselves far too much and the city centre will prevail. Trust me.

River Island at Arena - ill believe it when i see it. GAP yeah cos theres no GAP in the Nuneaton area and thats what they'll be looking to serve, however one of the Central Six units is moving out so maybe thats them? No idea TBH but my retail expert buddy says the retail parks have already far exceeded their local spending capacity. Something will crash.

This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Will Halfords move out of Foleshill Road if they open at Binley? Argos are looking at Binley as well.

Gallagher retail is an absolute blot on the landscape. It's such a miserable, depressing place... Sums up the awfulness to me of car dominated planning... Ugly shacks, car parks, roundabouts, dual carriageways... No character, no atmosphere... Just ugh...

[jonbon88]

the money in the economy is there, but it will take a huge overhaul of the city in terms of business, retail and accomodation, the housing stock in coventry is very average, untill this changes significantly we wont really see much change to the local economy. Westwood, gibbet hill, styvichal, earlsdon and balsall common are the only real affluent areas of coventry but there are areas in the north that are very affluent with the likes of tamworth road, kersely, fillongley and even to some extent coundon and allsely. The areas around these small hubs need to be improved drastically to house all the potential new people coming into the city.

alot of areas in the north of coventry have been slowly improving over the past few years with alot of new shops and things opening up in places that have been empty since i can remember, it seems to be a positice impact of the arena, however there is a long way to go yet, firstly they need to sort out the antie social yobs which cause most of the problems.

[Scazmattaz]

"A bit more than Sprint"?

Like what?

Sprint doesn't seem to be developing from the documents I've read on the net - it seems to be undeveloping, with councils in Warwickshire appearing to have no interest in the idea, and Kenilworth already bowing out... And that document Faber Maunsell have on the Sprint Website??? How many years? And they manage a 3 page document that looks like the work of an a amateur.

I hope it does go ahead, as it looks like a good idea - especially with light railway out of favour.

This is really just a bus - why is it taking so long to get a bus running? Or am I missing something.

You are missing somethings yeh, Warwickshire are arseholes. They are too concerned about politics so they want to be left out and have been for at least a few months. Just calm down - these things take a hell of a lot of time to sort and Fabers have been shockingly bad. Think that the people who are sorting Sprint also have a day job that involves schemes Coventry already has money for like PrimeLines and major road projects. Its never as simple as you might think.

[Scazmattaz]

This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Will Halfords move out of Foleshill Road if they open at Binley? Argos are looking at Binley as well.

Gallagher retail is an absolute blot on the landscape. It's such a miserable, depressing place... Sums up the awfulness to me of car dominated planning... Ugly shacks, car parks, roundabouts, dual carriageways... No character, no atmosphere... Just ugh...

Gallagher is apparently the most succesful retail park in the city in spend volume and busy-ness (numbers of people) terms. Central Six is close behind.

Halfords at Foleshill might be compulsory purchased so its gonna go at some stage, however Halfords want 2 stores i the city anyway.

[Scazmattaz]

alot of areas in the north of coventry have been slowly improving over the past few years with alot of new shops and things opening up in places that have been empty since i can remember, it seems to be a positice impact of the arena, however there is a long way to go yet, firstly they need to sort out the antie social yobs which cause most of the problems.

Yeh god knows where the parents are, the vacant shops at the end of my road had a bunch of 7 year old girls literally trying to pull-down the metal barriers which are meant to keep people clear of the buildings as they are unsafe. Couldn't believe it and thought about calling the police but then thought they wouldn't give a damn!

[rottersclub]

You are missing somethings yeh, Warwickshire are arseholes. They are too concerned about politics so they want to be left out and have been for at least a few months. Just calm down - these things take a hell of a lot of time to sort and Fabers have been shockingly bad. Think that the people who are sorting Sprint also have a day job that involves schemes Coventry already has money for like PrimeLines and major road projects. Its never as simple as you might think.

Oh yes, I now they take time, but this seems to be going round in circles.

People complain about the environment, but when something like this is mooted no one wants it near them. Should adopt the Victorian approach - it's going here, like it or lump it. As everyone knows it's a good idea, and something that's needed to get people out of their cars. (If they extend it to Walsgrave I'd certainly use it.)

[rottersclub]

Gallagher is apparently the most succesful retail park in the city in spend volume and busy-ness (numbers of people) terms. Central Six is close behind.

Halfords at Foleshill might be compulsory purchased so its gonna go at some stage, however Halfords want 2 stores i the city anyway.

Just even more reason for me to hate Gallagher.:)

Rarely use retail parks, apart from Borders bookshop - just find them depressing. The sight of all those families fattening their kids up on MacDonalds before heading off to scramble around TK Max makes me feel vaguely queasy. There are far more interesting things to do with ones time than spend it in soulless places like that.

[rottersclub]

Yeh god knows where the parents are, the vacant shops at the end of my road had a bunch of 7 year old girls literally trying to pull-down the metal barriers which are meant to keep people clear of the buildings as they are unsafe. Couldn't believe it and thought about calling the police but then thought they wouldn't give a damn!

It's depressing. I know when I was a kid we used to be a bit mischievous, but nowadays it seems to be downright destructive and violent. These kids truly don't give a shit, and neither do their parents.

I feel sorry for people who've got trapped in places now being ruined by these anti-social halfwits, and can't believe no one is doing anything about it. It only takes a few families to ruin a street.

[Jonny Gee]

Does anyone have any solutions to the traffic congestion problem? I live close to the holyhead road and it gets bad at peak times.

More people on public transport maybe. I would like to see separate bus and cycle lanes on all the routes into the city centre. They would have to be continuous though, as at the moment we have cycle lanes that appear and disappear. But in some places its not possible to create an extra lane though?? Along the ansty road I notice the council have replaced the grass verges with parking spaces for people who live on that road. It now stops people from blocking one lane with a long line of parked cars and i think it's made an improvement.

[rottersclub]

Does anyone have any solutions to the traffic congestion problem?

Good public transport? Sprint is a good start - if it happens.

[Scazmattaz]

Good public transport? Sprint is a good start - if it happens.

Thats not a solution. People will still always drive. The only solution is that the road network is so incredibly congested people wouldn't go anywhere very quickly - like London - then you get more people using public transport!

[rottersclub]

Thats not a solution. People will still always drive. The only solution is that the road network is so incredibly congested people wouldn't go anywhere very quickly - like London - then you get more people using public transport!

So the solution is - do nothing. Coventry's road network isn't that congested (Apart from the ringroad exits) which means, really, that we don't need Sprint, or all these bendibuses.

Or do what Britain's good at - leave it until the roads are congested, then realise there's no money for public transport & it's going to take 10 years to build a dedicated bus lane.

[Scazmattaz]

I suggest we re-allocate road space to high occupancy carrying vehicles (including cars with 2+ passengers) at peak times and bus lanes for all other times so that people can / are forced to change their habits and those that wont we need road-pricing. These are the only things that will help - oh and increasing the cities population to 400,000 as the existing road network will stay the same - new roads might be built but will mainly serve these developments.

There is no easy option, i myself drive to the shops and gym on a weekend and the gym on a weekday cos theres no other way to get there - and i drive to the gym at peak time. When i commute to work i walk - and a lot more people could walk but choose to drive; because it takes me 10/15 mins to drive and 20/25 to walk and its pretty much a straight route.

People need to consider how much money they can SAVE by using public transport to commute - public transport (if it serves where you are going from and to) is considerably cheaper than sitting in slow-moving traffic burning petrol. People dont consider this cost either - therefore road pricing should help here.

And the point is a lot of people in Britian believe they are royalty and will never give up there cars for any reason - they dont care if they are polluting the city; causing a hazard to other users (4x4s vs peds/cyclist/small cars etc) and deliveries for retailers need to be forced to off-peak times - another thing that road pricing will help with. And dont get me started on the school run!!!

[Scazmattaz]

Does anyone have any solutions to the traffic congestion problem? I live close to the holyhead road and it gets bad at peak times.

More people on public transport maybe. I would like to see separate bus and cycle lanes on all the routes into the city centre. They would have to be continuous though, as at the moment we have cycle lanes that appear and disappear. But in some places its not possible to create an extra lane though?? Along the ansty road I notice the council have replaced the grass verges with parking spaces for people who live on that road. It now stops people from blocking one lane with a long line of parked cars and i think it's made an improvement.

Yeah theres a lot of problems with getting land and conservation areas. The bit of the Binley Road near Stoke Park and the old village upto the Cov building society would have bus lanes on both sides of the road as its horrendous at peak times - like stop start. However the local Coventry Society and residents said 'its a conservation area you cant do it - you never will be able to do it - we hate the council' etc etc and it got out of hand so it was dropped.

Places like the Butts aren't finished yet and theres still some more works to be done there - and they are major works! These can happen cos the Butts has Spon End Estate (where people dont seem to care what happens) and a lot of students who also dont give a damn. Soz MartinN your journey home is not gonna get any easier :ohno: :nuts: .

Id love to see bus lanes everywhere, and theres an extention likely to happen to the bus lanes at sky blue way / binley road, london road, binley road / princethorpe way and you will hear about the best ones literally within 2 months; its gonna be all over the Telegraph!!! :banana: (but maybe not for the right reasons).

Plus if Labour get voted in at the local elections then you will see a whole lot more bus lanes - their councillors seem to love them!

[inspired]

if labour get in do you think they will change the plans for swanswell to what it should be like?

[rottersclub]

I suggest we re-allocate road space to high occupancy carrying vehicles (including cars with 2+ passengers) at peak times and bus lanes for all other times so that people can / are forced to change their habits and those that wont we need road-pricing. These are the only things that will help - oh and increasing the cities population to 400,000 as the existing road network will stay the same - new roads might be built but will mainly serve these developments.

There is no easy option, i myself drive to the shops and gym on a weekend and the gym on a weekday cos theres no other way to get there - and i drive to the gym at peak time. When i commute to work i walk - and a lot more people could walk but choose to drive; because it takes me 10/15 mins to drive and 20/25 to walk and its pretty much a straight route.

People need to consider how much money they can SAVE by using public transport to commute - public transport (if it serves where you are going from and to) is considerably cheaper than sitting in slow-moving traffic burning petrol. People dont consider this cost either - therefore road pricing should help here.

And the point is a lot of people in Britian believe they are royalty and will never give up there cars for any reason - they dont care if they are polluting the city; causing a hazard to other users (4x4s vs peds/cyclist/small cars etc) and deliveries for retailers need to be forced to off-peak times - another thing that road pricing will help with. And dont get me started on the school run!!!

The problem is our public transport networks are shit. Charging, lane enforcement is just polishing the turd. I don't like driving much myself but I'm not willing to spend 2.5 hours a day on a bus when I can drive and it only takes 30-40 minutes. That's two buses, and relies on a change, and the buses only run to the business parks during peak times.

Maybe if the government followed up on their promise in their white paper from 8 years ago, things would have improved. What you are talking about is trying to force people to use an alternative that doesn't exist.

I didn't think the 400,000 was going to happen.

The country is broke - it doesn't have the cash to improve infrastructure, and Bliar/Brown know it.

[Scazmattaz]

if labour get in do you think they will change the plans for swanswell to what it should be like?

I dont know - all i know it that some of the bus lanes that have been thrown out by the tories are likely to be pushed by labour; and when it comes to problems like Hearsall Common they are incredibly forward thinking!

[rottersclub]

I dont know - all i know it that some of the bus lanes that have been thrown out by the tories are likely to be pushed by labour; and when it comes to problems like Hearsall Common they are incredibly forward thinking!

What problems at Hearsall common?

[Scazmattaz]

What problems at Hearsall common?

Coventry Society maybe???!!!!.....

Hearsall Common is a major congestion hotspot at peak times.

[Jags]

Theres no market to retail warehousing in Cov now, its saturated. We have 7 parks already and the new Binley one will have Boots, Halfords, Woolworths and something mainstream i cant remember. They are stretching themselves far too much and the city centre will prevail. Trust me.

River Island at Arena - ill believe it when i see it. GAP yeah cos theres no GAP in the Nuneaton area and thats what they'll be looking to serve, however one of the Central Six units is moving out so maybe thats them? No idea TBH but my retail expert buddy says the retail parks have already far exceeded their local spending capacity. Something will crash.

A friend of mine works for tesco head office and i was told by him. He works in that department.

[Jags]

I found a promotional video of coventry on the council website, dont know if anyones seen it, but it does make coventry feel and look very cosmopolitan.

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/business/?WT.svl=Navi_main

Its rite at the bottom.

[ccfc-4-life]

cool vid, and that render of the swanswell initiative showed a huge high rise building that i had never seen before, it looks 80-100m, and the ringroad is gone!

[rottersclub]

cool vid, and that render of the swanswell initiative showed a huge high rise building that i had never seen before, it looks 80-100m, and the ringroad is gone!


It also showed several shops and businesses that are no longer here, including two of the "Blue Chip" companies.

[jmancuso]

does coventry still have that ratty hotel next to the cathedral? the one with the mold and no A/C?

[Jonny Gee]

This one?

http://www.hotelz.com.au/hotel/image/4390/017109A.jpg

I've never been in there. What an embarrassment :mad:

[jmancuso]

yeah. that's it. pretty bad. i've seen better motel 6's. what makes it worse is its prominent location.

[rottersclub]

yeah. that's it. pretty bad. i've seen better motel 6's. what makes it worse is its prominent location.

It's also covered in bird shit. What an eyesore. I lived in the hall of residence next to it (Equally ugly) for a year in the 1980s.

Looks like someone's already objected to Friargate:

http://planning.coventry.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=669995

But I can't read it - just bombs out. Do the council realise their online planning system doesn't actualy work?

[Scazmattaz]

Does anyone know where ENVY is going to? I like that shop - but cant ever afford anything!... i was thinking it was maybe one of the 'under offer' units in West Orchards? ENVY seem to like shopping centres.

[rottersclub]

Does anyone know where ENVY is going to? I like that shop - but cant ever afford anything!... i was thinking it was maybe one of the 'under offer' units in West Orchards? ENVY seem to like shopping centres.

I wouldn't be surprised if they never reopen anywhere - DIXONS closed and said they would be re-opening in Coventry (They left because of a rent disagreement). I hope they fill the Envy unit quickly, as it looks downmarket enough in the precinct as it is with all those cheapy shops at the top!

[Jags]

Does anyone know where ENVY is going to? I like that shop - but cant ever afford anything!... i was thinking it was maybe one of the 'under offer' units in West Orchards? ENVY seem to like shopping centres.

i went in and asked the guys that work there, they said they were lookin at two locations but were unsure, they actually said there is a big chance that they wont reopen again.

[Scazmattaz]

i went in and asked the guys that work there, they said they were lookin at two locations but were unsure, they actually said there is a big chance that they wont reopen again.

Ahh that sucks. I know that all the other places they used to operate from they have closed down - like luton and mk. The only one left seems to be Brum! Bit like how Dolcis slowly vanished; good business move i guess.

Dixons - well they never have an intention of staying in any city centre now - they couldn't care less! Everywhere is loosing there Dixons.

[rottersclub]

Ahh that sucks. I know that all the other places they used to operate from they have closed down - like luton and mk. The only one left seems to be Brum! Bit like how Dolcis slowly vanished; good business move i guess.

Dixons - well they never have an intention of staying in any city centre now - they couldn't care less! Everywhere is loosing there Dixons.

Dixons have gone - they're called currys.net now, or something. The nearest on to Coventry is now Solihull, as I believe they've closed everywhere else.

Envy must be doing badly if they're closing all their stores down.

Bloody hell, Dolcis! Does that chain still exist?

[Scazmattaz]

Dixons have gone - they're called currys.net now, or something. The nearest on to Coventry is now Solihull, as I believe they've closed everywhere else.

Envy must be doing badly if they're closing all their stores down.

Bloody hell, Dolcis! Does that chain still exist?

Well there was one in the Centre:MK about 2 year ago; but it had downsized from 2 units wide to one in the previous couple of years before that.

ENVY are probs taking a hit from that new chav shop in West Orchards - its on the corner before Republic and makes me smile everytime. Good shop though - just very chavtastic.

Some parts of the Bullring are still empty and are turning very high-end market; some have been vacant for at least 2 years; and Dixons cant shift their unit, and nor can Massimo Duitto whatever the hell they are called! The rental for the latter is £400K a year.

Theres a general slow-down and fashion, shoes and card shops will pretty much be all thats left on the high street - and high-end food goods. Apart from that it'll be services and financial institutions.

[rottersclub]

Well there was one in the Centre:MK about 2 year ago; but it had downsized from 2 units wide to one in the previous couple of years before that.

ENVY are probs taking a hit from that new chav shop in West Orchards - its on the corner before Republic and makes me smile everytime. Good shop though - just very chavtastic.

Some parts of the Bullring are still empty and are turning very high-end market; some have been vacant for at least 2 years; and Dixons cant shift their unit, and nor can Massimo Duitto whatever the hell they are called! The rental for the latter is £400K a year.

Theres a general slow-down and fashion, shoes and card shops will pretty much be all thats left on the high street - and high-end food goods. Apart from that it'll be services and financial institutions.

That seems to be what it's like in Spain.

[sleslie48]

I HATE THAT STUPID TRAPEZE CRAP THING

[rottersclub]

I HATE THAT STUPID TRAPEZE CRAP THING

Eh?

[Dr Pepper]

Eh?


I assume the council's online planning viewing software is being described.

[rottersclub]

I assume the council's online planning viewing software is being described.

Yes, it's rubbish. It doesn't work, and as a Software Engineer, I found it highly annoying that it's not been tested! (It's also shit.)

[Scazmattaz]

I have a link that works; but i was given it by a Council employee i know so not sure if i can post it. Most of the files load - a few dont though lol.

[rottersclub]

I have a link that works; but i was given it by a Council employee i know so not sure if i can post it. Most of the files load - a few dont though lol.

I don't see why not - it's a public service!

[rottersclub]

According to the Coventry Observer, a "major" Financial organisation is setting up a call centre/sorting house in Binley which will employ 500 people. It's the final plot of land at Binley Business Park, which already has large offices for HSBC and Coventry Building Society...

I suppose Coventry's been very successful over the years with its business parks.

[Scazmattaz]

Yeh but it has diverted attention from the city centre. The only thing thats been built is the new tax office and the technopark which is part vacant but has planning for 2 more office buildings near the IBIS / ELM BANK.

[rottersclub]

Yeh but it has diverted attention from the city centre. The only thing thats been built is the new tax office and the technopark which is part vacant but has planning for 2 more office buildings near the IBIS / ELM BANK.

Blame the post-war planners and their "zoning"!

[Scazmattaz]

Lol.

NEWS FLASH!

As i had said previously - Pizza Express are to take a unit at Belgrade Plaza! This is fantastic!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

And its a double unit which could be a good thing could be bad - the bad side is there will be one less major chain moving into the city but the up side is that they must be VERY confident of the restaurants success to have taken 2 units!!

[rottersclub]

Lol.

NEWS FLASH!

As i had said previously - Pizza Express are to take a unit at Belgrade Plaza! This is fantastic!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

And its a double unit which could be a good thing could be bad - the bad side is there will be one less major chain moving into the city but the up side is that they must be VERY confident of the restaurants success to have taken 2 units!!

Will they keep their existing one? I quite like the old building they're in, lots of character.

I was in Pizza Express a couple of years back, and the manager was having a discussion with someone from the restaurant opposite, and she commented that they (Pizza E.) were making a mint and doing very well, and that some of the branches were not doing so good. They were discussing a lot of business stuff - not very professional - but it would seem the business is there.

Pizza Express is about the only chain restaurant I use - they are the closest to a real Italian Pizza I've ever had in the UK, and they don't pile it up with crap like most places. Their 4 mushroom one with truffle sauce is delicious!

So that means:

Metro Bar and Grill
Pizza Express
(That Italian Chain)
Radisson Hotel
Gala Casino....

... Looking like a good success story for Cov already...! Considering how long Priory Place took to get going, this is very promising.

[Scazmattaz]

Will they keep their existing one? I quite like the old building they're in, lots of character.

I was in Pizza Express a couple of years back, and the manager was having a discussion with someone from the restaurant opposite, and she commented that they (Pizza E.) were making a mint and doing very well, and that some of the branches were not doing so good. They were discussing a lot of business stuff - not very professional - but it would seem the business is there.

Pizza Express is about the only chain restaurant I use - they are the closest to a real Italian Pizza I've ever had in the UK, and they don't pile it up with crap like most places. Their 4 mushroom one with truffle sauce is delicious!

So that means:

Metro Bar and Grill
Pizza Express
(That Italian Chain)
Radisson Hotel
Gala Casino....

... Looking like a good success story for Cov already...! Considering how long Priory Place took to get going, this is very promising.

So basically thats 4 of the initial 5 units filled. Id like to see the following aswell (in the remaining 1 phase 1 unit and 2 phase 2 units);

>Wagamamas - ahhh what i'd give to have a Wagamamas here it'd be amazing!!!
>Zizzis
>BANK
>Maybe a Frankie & Bennys for some family aspect to it (although they are a total rip-off!)

The Old Orleans thing at the SkyDome is disgusting! Went in there about 6 months ago and its horrid! Never again!

[rottersclub]

So basically thats 4 of the initial 5 units filled. Id like to see the following aswell (in the remaining 1 phase 1 unit and 2 phase 2 units);

>Wagamamas - ahhh what i'd give to have a Wagamamas here it'd be amazing!!!
>Zizzis
>BANK
>Maybe a Frankie & Bennys for some family aspect to it (although they are a total rip-off!)

The Old Orleans thing at the SkyDome is disgusting! Went in there about 6 months ago and its horrid! Never again!

I'd prefer to see locally run restaurants like Millsys rather than chains, to be honest. However,

Wagamamas would be nice. I don't think Coventry is ready for Sushi.

I went to Zizzi's in Leamington and wasn't that great, neither was Strada. Both were average, and not places I'd go to again. The wife's been to Bank in Brindley Place and thought it was good.

Years ago, my whole team at work went to Orleans for a leaving do, and they all thought it was dreadful. What did you expect from Skydome? I wouldn't touch that place with a barge pole!!!!

All these chains will never beat places like Bar Aqua on Gosford Street or Millsys/Earlsdon Cottage in Earlsdon.

How many units are there in total? I thought some of it was going to be retail as well...

[Scazmattaz]

Yeh but i doubt you'll get an independant in a big scheme like this; the rents are too high and its def marketed at the chains commercially!

In total there are 7 restaurant / bar units. 4 are now taken (2 by Pizza Ex) and there are therefore 3 remaining. None of them are allowed to have general retail, so no Tesco Expresses or anything like that.

[rottersclub]

Yeh but i doubt you'll get an independant in a big scheme like this; the rents are too high and its def marketed at the chains commercially!

In total there are 7 restaurant / bar units. 4 are now taken (2 by Pizza Ex) and there are therefore 3 remaining. None of them are allowed to have general retail, so no Tesco Expresses or anything like that.

No doubt we'll get the usual grumbling letters in the local paper about it. There's one in ECHO this month from someone complaining that the Earlsdon Cottage is more suited to the centre of London, Manchester and Brum than Coventry, and is too expensive for them. She doesn't want these nasty nice new bars/restaurants in her area (When really, that area of Coventry is pretty much on a par with some parts of Surrey if you look at the demographics!).

Some people in this city just don't see to have seen the changes of the last 20 years. Everyone doesn't go and works down the local car factory anymore and eats Fish and Chips, and there's a growing number of people who do want decent restaurants/bars like the Earlsdon cottage... In fact, there's been a lot of people desperate for things like the Cottage, Millsys, Belgrade Plaza, etc, etc, for years.

[Jags]

Pizza express is excellent news, i just read it in the paper, another good chain in the development. I t should really be a great place to visit and relax in now. Great restaurants, plus radisson will have two bars and a restaurant, prem travel inn will have a retaurant aswell. But i do think they need some great bars in there, there are already nice pubs around it so there should be a great diversity of units, i like strada martin iv eaten there in london and the food was great (the seabass was sublime), i would like to see a haagen dasz open i think they are great and will be areally popular with the students.

[Jags]

No doubt we'll get the usual grumbling letters in the local paper about it. There's one in ECHO this month from someone complaining that the Earlsdon Cottage is more suited to the centre of London, Manchester and Brum than Coventry, and is too expensive for them. She doesn't want these nasty nice new bars/restaurants in her area (When really, that area of Coventry is pretty much on a par with some parts of Surrey if you look at the demographics!).

Some people in this city just don't see to have seen the changes of the last 20 years. Everyone doesn't go and works down the local car factory anymore and eats Fish and Chips, and there's a growing number of people who do want decent restaurants/bars like the Earlsdon cottage... In fact, there's been a lot of people desperate for things like the Cottage, Millsys, Belgrade Plaza, etc, etc, for years.

I dont understand why people always have to complain about something good, i just think half the people in coventry want a horrible place to live in and cheap and nasty places to eat and drink. They are never happy about the city actually getting better, its really pissing me off now, people always object to the bettering of an area instead of embracing a good thing that will inevitably be better for them and everyone around them in the long run.

[rottersclub]

Pizza express is excellent news, i just read it in the paper, another good chain in the development. I t should really be a great place to visit and relax in now. Great restaurants, plus radisson will have two bars and a restaurant, prem travel inn will have a retaurant aswell. But i do think they need some great bars in there, there are already nice pubs around it so there should be a great diversity of units, i like strada martin iv eaten there in london and the food was great (the seabass was sublime), i would like to see a haagen dasz open i think they are great and will be areally popular with the students.

The best thing about Belgrade Plaza is that it finally means that theatre goers will have places to go, and there will be a built up atmosphere in the area. Now they need to destroy Allied Carpets & the What Everyone wants store.

[Jags]

The best thing about Belgrade Plaza is that it finally means that theatre goers will have places to go, and there will be a built up atmosphere in the area. Now they need to destroy Allied Carpets & the What Everyone wants store.

I definitly think that they will go, i think he council own that whole area, i didnt realise that a city department occupies the offices above aliied carpets, the council would be mad not to develop that area with the rest of the retail core and the shopping centre.

[rottersclub]

I dont understand why people always have to complain about something good, i just think half the people in coventry want a horrible place to live in and cheap and nasty places to eat and drink. They are never happy about the city actually getting better, its really pissing me off now, people always object to the bettering of an area instead of embracing a good thing that will inevitably be better for them and everyone around them in the long run.

I think the speed at which Coventry's pretty much lost all its car assembly and imported a range of different employers has left a lot of the Coventrians really in a place they don't understand anymore. Thirty years ago, it was expected you'd leave school, join the motor industry, and it'd be a job for life. This is not the case - the UK's workforce is more fluid, and people tend to move around more as the markets change.

You always get people say "no one in Coventry's got a job" - yet unemployment is low for a city, just above average. They're still stuck with the old mindset of "The Jaguar" and "GEC" employing tens of thousands of people... In reality, being dependent on 4 large employers was the kiss of death in the 1980s and 1990s, playing havoc with the local economy. Coventry's retained a lot of the R&D and Hi Tech aspects of the motor industry, and is still a major centre for engineering in that field - hence why TATA want to set up here. Coventry's economy is far more diverse now, and that can only be a good thing!

[Dr Pepper]

Some people in this city just don't see to have seen the changes of the last 20 years. Everyone doesn't go and works down the local car factory anymore and eats Fish and Chips, and there's a growing number of people who do want decent restaurants/bars like the Earlsdon cottage... In fact, there's been a lot of people desperate for things like the Cottage, Millsys, Belgrade Plaza, etc, etc, for years.

The ET letters page can be a depressing read, lots of people who moan about the way things are but moan even more when someone wants to change something. I remember reading loads of letters that personally blamed Chris Beck, the guy in charge of the Phoenix Initiative, for knocking down the bingo hall and blocking off the bus station. They were blind to the huge improvements that were made.

I think Chris Beck came from Leicester. I wouldn't be surprised if he ran straight back there the second his contract expired.

[rottersclub]

The ET letters page can be a depressing read, lots of people who moan about the way things are but moan even more when someone wants to change something. I remember reading loads of letters that personally blamed Chris Beck, the guy in charge of the Phoenix Initiative, for knocking down the bingo hall and blocking off the bus station. They were blind to the huge improvements that were made.

I think Chris Beck came from Leicester. I wouldn't be surprised if he ran straight back there the second his contract expired.

Yes, I think he did! Nottingham, though, I believe.

Priory place has been slow to take off, but it's a breath of fresh air, and the fire station is now up and running.

These whingers just see it as nothing for them, and assume it's no good, but these places were vital - not only did the BBC move in, and give Coventry a far higher profile locally, but the arches have created a landmark, and they will look even better when the final piece of the jigsaw is complete. The bars/restaurants are aimed at older clientele than skydome, something Coventry was lacking...

[Jags]

I saw some machinery and a big metal cabin on the friargate site today as i was driving past. Does this mean that a decision has been made with regards to the planning application. This could mean that we have the first movement on friarsgate, its pretty quick actually i thought it would take longer than that.

[inspired]

According to the Coventry Observer, a "major" Financial organisation is setting up a call centre/sorting house in Binley which will employ 500 people. It's the final plot of land at Binley Business Park, which already has large offices for HSBC and Coventry Building Society...

I suppose Coventry's been very successful over the years with its business parks.

i work around there, and they are developing a new building on the park for this new call centre

[inspired]

I saw some machinery and a big metal cabin on the friargate site today as i was driving past. Does this mean that a decision has been made with regards to the planning application. This could mean that we have the first movement on friarsgate, its pretty quick actually i thought it would take longer than that.

i was at the station on friday, catching a train to london, and noticed the large display posters of frairgate on the bottom of the tower in station square. I also saw some type of machinery on the friargate site, the one that sets the foundations i think.

[rottersclub]

I saw some machinery and a big metal cabin on the friargate site today as i was driving past. Does this mean that a decision has been made with regards to the planning application. This could mean that we have the first movement on friarsgate, its pretty quick actually i thought it would take longer than that.


They might just be taking samples or doing preliminary work.

The application only went in a couple of weeks ago - I doubt it's even been to the committee yet!

[rottersclub]

i was at the station on friday, catching a train to london, and noticed the large display posters of frairgate on the bottom of the tower in station square. I also saw some type of machinery on the friargate site, the one that sets the foundations i think.


We walked down there this weekend - I can't wait for it to be all built up round there, as it looks a mess at the moment. Just a glorified car park with those grim looking shops on it. Ugh. And the station area is awful.

[jonbon88]

We walked down there this weekend - I can't wait for it to be all built up round there, as it looks a mess at the moment. Just a glorified car park with those grim looking shops on it. Ugh. And the station area is awful.

when its all finished it will be a really nice area to come home to, it will definitely improve the impression of the city.

[rottersclub]

when its all finished it will be a really nice area to come home to, it will definitely improve the impression of the city.

Definitely, and it was also be the city's first real proper business district in the city centre. Now they just need to make Coventry part of Greater Greater London:)

[Jonny Gee]

I noticed some of the empty buildings around the station area has TO LET signs in them lol

:dunno:

[rottersclub]

I noticed some of the empty buildings around the station area has TO LET signs in them lol

:dunno:


No, it's a mistake - the "I" fell off. It's actually TOILET!

I'm over the moon - we had a baby girl this afternoon at 1:45!!!!!:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[Scazmattaz]

Congratulations MartinN, all the best for the future as they say! :)

[Jonny Gee]

Congratulations! No more sleep for you !! :lol: :okay:

[rottersclub]

Thanks for the congrats. I'm shattered! Labour started at 12:00 midnight, so we didn't get much sleep..!

[BobbyB]

Congrats to you and your partner.....Another recruit to the 'Make Coventry a better place to live society'

[Scazmattaz]

Wooooo im raising my glass to that!!!

[Jags]

congrats Martin, ill have a drink for you. lol.

[Dr Pepper]

Congratulations!

I'll raise a drink as well. It's Dr Pepper in case you wondered.

[inspired]

yes congratulations MartinN:)

[ccfc-4-life]

congratz to you, Martin.
all the best from me,
ill drink to that aswell, you might as well do it too as you certainly wont be sleeping! lol

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

[rottersclub]

Thanks for all the congrats - just waiting for the OK to go and pick the wife up from hospital.

On Cov matters, I can't believe someone's objected to Friargate already! The same old people are always objecting, with pathetic comments that come across as being smart-arsed. I've just registered support for Friargate One.

[Scazmattaz]

Good, registering support is the best way to make this thing happen! We shall over-power the oldies and be victorious :)

[rottersclub]

Good, registering support is the best way to make this thing happen! We shall over-power the oldies and be victorious :)

Someone called Sheila Adams objects to EVERYTHING, and ALWAYS has the same reasons - Traffic chaos & the buildings are too high. She's objected to the Butts development, and calls the houses on Albany road Victorian. They're NOT! They're EDWARDIAN!!!!!!!! And they are 3 storeys high, with 5 storey buildings opposite behind a line of Trees. It'll look very good - like a proper street!

[jonbon88]

has any work started on the belgrade plaza development ? im guessing they will have to start demolishing the old trave agants building soon to make way for the development.
also any thing started on the new AXA development, they will have to get moving on that if they want it completed by 2008.

[rottersclub]

has any work started on the belgrade plaza development ? im guessing they will have to start demolishing the old trave agants building soon to make way for the development.
also any thing started on the new AXA development, they will have to get moving on that if they want it completed by 2008.


I believe Belgrade Plaza is starting in May or June.

[sleslie48]

congratulations martin, everyone seems to be worried about your sleep! Ive had many dealines recently and discoverd that sleep isn't really needed :sleepy: :nuts:

Went up the belgrade car park earlier, interesting views, can even see the new city college. It's amazing how near to the centre that actually is but seems really far due to the ring road.

I was looking at where the new theatre extention is in relation to the road, and its a HUGE distance! Really surprised me. Everything to do with the belgrade plaza sounds excellent tho. The theatre extention is looking good, I know a few of u dont like it, and I dont class it as the best building in the world, but its looking alright, and nice and new!

I think pizza express are moving out of the hay lane premises, theres a To Let or some kind of sign on the side of the building. A shame but hopefully something else good will go in there. I hope the Belgrade plaza doesn't have a negative affect on that street cos it's one of the few which is actually quite good.

[sleslie48]

I only had my phone with me so the photos aren't the best:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/482868794_c722c6767a.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/482868854_226053ed5c.jpg?v=0

I really like it's blocky style, but the front is just flat! It's a shame the front doesnt have different bits, then I'd love it.

Does anyone know if that long building inbetween the two at the moment is definitly being demolished?

[jonbon88]

wow, it looks amazing, im really impressed with how its turned out.

I guess the old buiding in between will be demolished when phase 2 of the belgrade plaza starts, well thats what im hoping.

[Jags]

It actually doesnt look that bad from that angle. But it could have been a heck of a lot better, just look at leicesters new theater, its amazing.

On another not the QCA have advertised a job in the cov times for a HR manager for 40k a year, seems to be bringing in highly paid jobs already, im assuming that they have already chosen where they are going to move to. Wonder which development won the race out of belgrade, friargate or the axa development.

[rottersclub]

It actually doesnt look that bad from that angle. But it could have been a heck of a lot better, just look at leicesters new theater, its amazing.

On another not the QCA have advertised a job in the cov times for a HR manager for 40k a year, seems to be bringing in highly paid jobs already, im assuming that they have already chosen where they are going to move to. Wonder which development won the race out of belgrade, friargate or the axa development.

So I guess this means they are coming to Cov. Hopefully Friargate won - which means that the development is off to a good start and will progress, and also that the "cluster" of business will happen.

I have high hopes for things now - Friargate/Butts/Belgrade Plaza/Ikea/Axa - a ring of development at a scale that Coventry city centre has never seen, and a lot of it office space. This is a city that's traditionally had very little city centre office space, so this is all good.

[Jags]

yea i agree, the office aspect seems very promising, as does the retail aspect. If friarsgate is a success, it would definitly mean that the rest of the city will follow, in terms of services and housing stock, i think that the housing developers have taken note of the increasing status of coventry as a dark horse, its the closest city to london as part of the lyons report, top 3business location, good transport links to the rest of the country, 2 uni's, one world class. Its also close to brum and is classed as warwickshire, less than an hour from london.

Every aspect of a rising city is there, but the council need to pull their thumbs out and sort the actual city centre out and quickly, the state of it at the moment is extremely poor. Leisure and retail facilities must begin to be improved asap. The butts will also have a major impact on the city, because it is basically a replica of belgrade plaza but on a smaller scale. These developments must act as the catalyst to link up and transform the centre, only then will coventry really live up to its city status.

Ikea i think will have a major affect on the centre generally, but if it is linked to the new retail development it will bring it into a whole new league, people would be able to use the city centre as a destination to shop, visit ikea and then as they are there maybe even visit john lewis (fingers crossed). It would become a destination for shoppers like birmingham is with selfridges. I know its a bit of a long shot with the record that cov has but it is definitly possible.

The number of business that could be opeining up in the centre will be the defining factor, if all office space is sold or let then we will see a rush of developments, if not then the city will just decline further than it already has. I do see more houses then being built in the better areas of coventry. Currently in cov there are close to about 4/5000 homes in the plan in a mix of semis, detached and flats within numerous developments, but they are all in undesirable locations, the areas like westwood heath are where the higher earning people will want to live meaning further development which is good. I can really see these developments changing the fortunes of cov if they are successfull. So fingers crossed.

[Jags]

apparantly millenium view will only have 3 bar/restaurants on the ground floor. I thought it was going to be two floors of retail/leisure space?

[sleslie48]

I agree, it is at a stage where it all sounds really promising and the city has potential to turn for the better. On the other hand it good go the other way. Im staying positive tho but am certain that the centre holds the key. Now is the time for some radical change in the centre, on a scale equal to the 50's and 60's (pretty much undoing the mistakes they made). If this doesn't happen the city will remain a joke.

[Scazmattaz]

Me and my collegue estimated that the City Centre and Technopark has 2.5M sq.ft of office space, of which at least 500,000 sq.ft is vacant (and generally very low quality). If you consider Brindley Place in Birmingham alone has approaching 1M sq.ft then that does make you think how small an amount it is - however we probably have a lot more office space in business parks than similar sized cities.

We also worked out the city centre has around 3M sq.ft of retail space; of which 1M sq.ft is empty. This is mainly also low quality and a pile of wank location lol; but i've heard a lot of city centre shops want bigger premises, just in the right location... such as upper precinct

[Scazmattaz]

Post Office... well we all know this is going to move and consider this. Halifax and the Second Hand book shop are adjacent to it and Halifax is likely to be moving out. The Second Hand Book Shop is probably on a special short-term lease so W.H.Tits could well be expanding that way to accomodate the Post Office.

[rottersclub]

Me and my collegue estimated that the City Centre and Technopark has 2.5M sq.ft of office space, of which at least 500,000 sq.ft is vacant (and generally very low quality). If you consider Brindley Place in Birmingham alone has approaching 1M sq.ft then that does make you think how small an amount it is - however we probably have a lot more office space in business parks than similar sized cities.

We also worked out the city centre has around 3M sq.ft of retail space; of which 1M sq.ft is empty. This is mainly also low quality and a pile of wank location lol; but i've heard a lot of city centre shops want bigger premises, just in the right location... such as upper precinct

I went to Bristol a few years back, and next to the City centre there was a huge business area. It all looked new, as well.

The shops problem is not new. It's been a problem since the 1950s (Many shops complained that the units were too small). Incredible, isn't it? The rebuilt of Coventry was a bit of a disaster, and we're still experiencing the same problems now. They tacked bits on to try to improve it.

The Cov Telegraph published a picture of Hertford Street in the 1960s - it WAS a proper street, lined with decent buildings, pavements & cars.

How on Earth did they manage to turn into a rusting, bird shit infested canopied area filled with closed down shops?

Way too much of Coventry is filled with crap low quality buildings IMHO - City Arcade, most of the precinct - and surface level car parks. I'm hoping it's going to start changing in a big way so it feels more built up.

[sleslie48]

Hertford street really winds me up. It was a proper street, and quite nice then they decided to build the entrance to barracks underneath it, leveling it off and making steps and a really crap canopied area (another one). They really really need to knock the middle down and build a mixure of buildings on a street level, and I think they should introduce buses and taxi back to going up it. These are the kind of thing that the council ned to look at, wake up and realise how bad they are and look. The buildings aren't bad on the post office side of the street, either side of the covered area.

[Dr Pepper]

Every aspect of a rising city is there, but the council need to pull their thumbs out and sort the actual city centre out and quickly, the state of it at the moment is extremely poor. Leisure and retail facilities must begin to be improved asap.

I'm sure the council planning dept know how bad much of the centre is as an urban environment and would change much of it tomorrow if they could. The real issue is what the elected councilors are prepared to allow. The bus station is a case in point. The Tories rely heavly on the grey vote and they are a social group who use the busses regularly and want to use the station facilities. They also don't like change, (perhaps understandably when they have seen what 50 years of change has done to Coventry). Thus the bus station remains, wasting money and land but gaining votes.

Another big issue is money. We all hate Cathedral Lanes and the canopy but who will buy the building and land and pay for a more appropriate building for the site? The council don't have the money and private investors will want a return so a replacement will have to be profit generating. A large new shopping centre in the centre will have to come from private money and there are existing landowners, shop keepers, transport links and a whole host of other things to consider. Certainly not impossible but it does take time.

Does anyone know when any proposals for the main shopping area, mentioned a couple of weeks ago in the ET, will come to light? That announcement didn't come from a vacuum, they must already have something in mind.

[rottersclub]

I'm sure the council planning dept know how bad much of the centre is as an urban environment and would change much of it tomorrow if they could. The real issue is what the elected councilors are prepared to allow. The bus station is a case in point. The Tories rely heavly on the grey vote and they are a social group who use the busses regularly and want to use the station facilities. They also don't like change, (perhaps understandably when they have seen what 50 years of change has done to Coventry). Thus the bus station remains, wasting money and land but gaining votes.

Another big issue is money. We all hate Cathedral Lanes and the canopy but who will buy the building and land and pay for a more appropriate building for the site? The council don't have the money and private investors will want a return so a replacement will have to be profit generating. A large new shopping centre in the centre will have to come from private money and there are existing landowners, shop keepers, transport links and a whole host of other things to consider. Certainly not impossible but it does take time.

Does anyone know when any proposals for the main shopping area, mentioned a couple of weeks ago in the ET, will come to light? That announcement didn't come from a vacuum, they must already have something in mind.


From what Scazmattaz has said here, it seems that private investors have been buying up land in Coventry - Cannon Kirk have been buying up the station area, West Orchards has been sold off, and I think the Barracks area is owned by someone else.

I agree with you sleslie - Hertford Street is an absolute mess - I hate walking that way. I just can't understand why they erected such a load of cheap rubbish.

[Scazmattaz]

I'm sure the council planning dept know how bad much of the centre is as an urban environment and would change much of it tomorrow if they could. The real issue is what the elected councilors are prepared to allow. The bus station is a case in point. The Tories rely heavly on the grey vote and they are a social group who use the busses regularly and want to use the station facilities. They also don't like change, (perhaps understandably when they have seen what 50 years of change has done to Coventry). Thus the bus station remains, wasting money and land but gaining votes.

Another big issue is money. We all hate Cathedral Lanes and the canopy but who will buy the building and land and pay for a more appropriate building for the site? The council don't have the money and private investors will want a return so a replacement will have to be profit generating. A large new shopping centre in the centre will have to come from private money and there are existing landowners, shop keepers, transport links and a whole host of other things to consider. Certainly not impossible but it does take time.

Does anyone know when any proposals for the main shopping area, mentioned a couple of weeks ago in the ET, will come to light? That announcement didn't come from a vacuum, they must already have something in mind.

I think cathedral lanes should be kept and have a complete overhaul to remove the canopy and redesign the layout. Basically what i suggest is completely remove the internal atrium; and change Wilkinsons so their entrance is off of Broadgate / facing the Weatherspoons. Then get rid of Waterstones (as its going anyway) and create some large flagship style units that back onto each other in the old atrium area - which will mean the units could be a lot deeper. Then all the units could face onto Broadgate / High Street. This will improve footfall around the development and Broadgate and give us some bigger units.

[Scazmattaz]

From what Scazmattaz has said here, it seems that private investors have been buying up land in Coventry - Cannon Kirk have been buying up the station area, West Orchards has been sold off, and I think the Barracks area is owned by someone else.

I agree with you sleslie - Hertford Street is an absolute mess - I hate walking that way. I just can't understand why they erected such a load of cheap rubbish.

Indeed someone must be developing at least one Masterplan as we speak.

Just out of curiousity why is the Foleshill Road grid-locked 24/7? Do the Nuneaton people still not use the A444 and go down there instead? - its horrendous its the levels of traffic i had expected for the entire city but only found on that road!

[Dr Pepper]

I think cathedral lanes should be kept and have a complete overhaul to remove the canopy and redesign the layout. Basically what i suggest is completely remove the internal atrium; and change Wilkinsons so their entrance is off of Broadgate / facing the Weatherspoons. Then get rid of Waterstones (as its going anyway) and create some large flagship style units that back onto each other in the old atrium area - which will mean the units could be a lot deeper. Then all the units could face onto Broadgate / High Street. This will improve footfall around the development and Broadgate and give us some bigger units.

I appreciate that your suggestion is more financially probable but it would still leave the appearance untouched. The yellow bricks with the tower corners make for a cheap design.

[sleslie48]

If they put that amount of effort into redeveloping it, they may as well go all out and start again, it can't have cost much (relatively speaking) to build. I have no clue about these things tho. I think that if something new was put there then it would attract a lot more people, the buidlign at the moment kinda screams "it's not worth coming in here"! Maybe Im wrong.

Incidentally, has anyone visited the St Martins property developers (the owners of cathedral lanes) website? They appear to be quite good! Own some major developments and the new cheapside development in london looks good.

I wander if the council had a good enough masterplan for the whole centre area whether they would consider a rebuild/improvement of cathedral lanes? There's enough going on to make coventry look like a good prospect and this area of the centre seems like it could be the final piece of the puzzle.

http://www.stmartinsproperty.com/

Do you think if we all emailed them about the tent they might get rid of it? Has anyone actually told them how stupid it is??

[rottersclub]

Indeed someone must be developing at least one Masterplan as we speak.

Just out of curiousity why is the Foleshill Road grid-locked 24/7? Do the Nuneaton people still not use the A444 and go down there instead? - its horrendous its the levels of traffic i had expected for the entire city but only found on that road!

It's nothing compared to 15 years ago when only the first segment of the A444 existed (Holbrooks) - it once took me 30 minutes to get out of Coventry going that way. I went over to Arena Park at rush hour last week (Earlsdon -> Ricoh is a horrible route - we need an outer ring!) and it was busy mainly due to the number of traffic lights and people turning right... Still frustrating.

The A444 - I really hate this road, especially the big roundabouts and the traffic jams at Stoney Stanton Road (Gallagher retail park).

[Jags]

some good new will be announced soon me thinks, well i think its good news. Will thins mean that all the council owned buildings will get redeveloped? Well more private investemnt can only be a good thing rite?

Councils' £10bn private property plans
07:01 | 08.05.07

More than £10bn of council-owned property could end up partly in private hands following Croydon Council's announcement that it is to set up a joint venture property development scheme. Sunday Telegraph

Croydon is to create a £450m 'urban regeneration vehicle' with a private developer in a model expected to be followed by other councils. Sunderland, Newcastle and Birmingham are all understood to be working on similar proposals.

Croydon Council will put between £30m and £60m of property assets into a specially created limited partnership, to be matched by funds from a private sector developer, which will also take over the development of the joint venture. Bank debt will be taken on to help regenerate Croydon Town Centre and, in theory, make profits for both the council and the private company.

The vehicle has an estimated target value of £450m.


Croydon launched a tender for the private sector partner last week.

Industry experts estimate that the top 100 local authorities have a total of £10bn of property that could be injected into such public-private joint ventures.

Jonathan Bull-Diamond, partner at King Sturge who is working with Croydon Council, said: 'This vehicle can create a lot of value for both the council and the developer. At the moment the councils are a way behind the regional development agencies, which have already done this, but more and more are getting interested.'

Other councils such as Newham, Dudley, Carlisle and Coventry are expected to announce similar schemes over the coming months.

This could possibly mean that the civic areas of the city could get mix of private and public office space. If friargate does well then maybe some of the councils older buildings would be redeveloped into shiny new buildings with new businesses, lol hopefully.

[inspired]

wasnt their talk of this on this forum and in the cet last year. The fact that the council was looking to sell off land to private investors/developers, including the area around the civic centres to develop the area with office space

[Jags]

yea there was something mentioned last year i think but nothing ever came of it, hopefully this will actually happen, it would effectivly creat two business distrcits in the city centre along with friarsgate. This can only be a good thing, it shows a sign that private businesses are really interested in coming to coventry and developing, surely they would only do this if there was demand for businesses wanting to move to the centre.

[rottersclub]

Cov City council has a lot of land as it bought it up after the blitz.

Did anyone see the local news recently? They did a report on Peugot and how they are building a new UK HQ in Coventry - they showed a very large and fancy looking glass office development in Stoke!

[inspired]

i think its part of this 'new urban village' they are developing in stoke on the old site of the car factory.

[Dr Pepper]

They may even be the glass fronted buildings that are under construction next to Humber road.

[Scazmattaz]

Yep thats the headquarters building, and a training acedemy place is going on the other side of the NEW Humber Road - which isn't open yet. Developing the rest of the area for residential should be a good thing for Stoke Aldermoor - might help pull that outta the dump.

[rottersclub]

According to today's telegraph "Peacocks" are opening up on Central Six - another good quality retailer for Coventry:)

I wonder who is closing? My money's on "Gap".

[Dr Pepper]

There was an article in the Coventry Observer about how some people had seen the 'Stock Liquidation Sale' signs at TJ Hughes and were concerned it would be closing down. Apparently it's not closing down. This is a shame as it would be a good place to stick Wilco's.

[Scazmattaz]

If it is GAP that would make sense as apparently they are opening at Arena as we all know, and i doubt they'd have more than 1 store for Coventry.

[Scazmattaz]

The final 2,700sqft restaurant unit at Belgrade Plaza is being marketed by Shortland Horne as seen in the Telegraph Business Today section. This implies that they dont have anyone interested at current.

Lets hope itll be a Wagamamas!!!!

[inspired]

fingers crossed.

[Dr Pepper]

Lets hope itll be a Wagamamas!!!!

What's one of them then?

[Jags]

Thats actually really concerning, the fact that they have to market the last unit locally because they cant get a national operator to take it means that companies arent really that interested in the development, i know that they have the 3 units full but it still concerns me a little. Usually you would find similar companies as pizza express and bella italia opening in direct competition but they dont seem to be doing that here.

Im not actually a big fan of wagamamas, the food is really bland seeing as its japanese/malaysian, i love the concept though the seating arangement is great.

On another note though there have been two fires in the city centre in two days, thats really not good, i was walking to work yesterday morning and the offices above allied carpets was on fire then today above fones4u, really shows how dangerous all these old buildings really are. This kind of shows the need for new development of the old sites in the actual centre itself.

I cant believe Peacocks is opening at central six, thats a joke, its already bad down there with tk maxx, sports world, and the rest of that crap, now its got peacocks. The only decent thing to go down there was for gap and outfit. I wont even bother going down there anymore if gap closes.

I also see that starbucks is nearly finished, i had a quick peek yesterday on the way home when the security boards were open, i know its a generic design but it looks really good. Meaning i dont have to go to the arena to get my frapacino, woooo. lol

[rottersclub]

I don't thinik it's that worrying. They may want to see if they can get local businesses/independents interested. People like Pizza Express are big players, and other operators will certainly be interested.

Something Japanese would be great!

[Scazmattaz]

First Sport (which is owned by JD Sports) at Cathedral Lanes is a new addition to the lease disposal list. Coventry is the only place i shop in that has one [, not that i ever use it!].

[rottersclub]

First Sport (which is owned by JD Sports) at Cathedral Lanes is a new addition to the lease disposal list. Coventry is the only place i shop in that has one [, not that i ever use it!].

I haven't been in Cathedral Lanes for about 10 years... Is it inside?

Is Waterstones still open?

[Haven't been into Cov for about 5 weeks...!]

[Scazmattaz]

No First Sport is on the outside of it, the other side of the entrance to Waterstones. Waterstones will stay open until its making significant losses or someone else wants the lease.

Anyone know whats happening with ENVY? - i miss going in there!!! :o(.

[inspired]

so if gap is closing at central six where is it going to open up at the arena as all the units are taken up, unless they are going to build new units after marks and spencer?:dunno:

[rottersclub]

so if gap is closing at central six where is it going to open up at the arena as all the units are taken up, unless they are going to build new units after marks and spencer?:dunno:

They are planning more units at the Arena.

[Dr Pepper]

I cant believe Peacocks is opening at central six, thats a joke, its already bad down there with tk maxx, sports world, and the rest of that crap, now its got peacocks. The only decent thing to go down there was for gap and outfit. I wont even bother going down there anymore if gap closes.

If it goes down market it can only encourage a redevelopment of the site, especially if the station redevelopment is a success. It really is a hugely inefficient use of a large plot of land so close to a major transport hub.

[Jags]

actually yea it could be redeveloped if it goes down hill, that wouldbe perfect, but with covs track record it could take about 10 years.lol

I was walking past envy this morning, they seem to be gutting the inside again, either they are stripping it to keep the fittings or they are gutting it for another retailer which would be good seeing as it is a prime retail spot.

Starbucks should be opening soon, the hoardings have come off now and the furniture is all in, so im guessing it will be open either this weekend or the start of next.

Which retailers in cov are trying to dispose of their leases, there was a massive list last time wasnt there?

Any news on the west orchards refurb and extention yet?

[Scazmattaz]

Well i guess they might have a retailer interested as that shop is not on any net website and they are usually ALL on there! A COSTA is now due cos Starbucks is opening... maybe thats what it'll be!

[sleslie48]

some form of eating/drinking place would be good there, might aid diversifying the area, thats what I hope starbucks could act as a catalyst for.

[rottersclub]

If you've got a cool 1.2 million, the old O'Brien Cycle factory on Foleshill Road is up for sale - grade 2 listed. It's a nice old building, Edwardian, but Victorian in style - unfortunately, it's surrounded by ugliness! It'd be a great building if it was in the city centre.

[Jags]

some form of eating/drinking place would be good there, might aid diversifying the area, thats what I hope starbucks could act as a catalyst for.
Yea it does need something food related there, its a great spot for it really, diversification is needed in that area of the precinct, its dead after 5.30 everyday. The city needs an after work buzz which is just doesnt have, im hoping with all these centre jobs being iminent that this will happen.

[rottersclub]

Yea it does need something food related there, its a great spot for it really, diversification is needed in that area of the precinct, its dead after 5.30 everyday. The city needs an after work buzz which is just doesnt have, im hoping with all these centre jobs being iminent that this will happen.

We went to register our daughter today - I still can't believe that Cheylesmore Manor house is hidden away - and afterwards briefly wandered around the shopping precinct. Pretty depressing, really.

[rottersclub]

There's a picture of the Binley shopping precinct development in today's telegraph. I didn't realise it was so big - over 20 shop units. Certainly will give Binley a "town centre" - quite a large one as well. I didn't realise it was going to be this scale. It seems to be mainly small units - Costa Coffee type of things.

[Scazmattaz]

MartinN - if you get the chance please could you scan in the image and post it on here? Id be eternally greatful!

[Dr Pepper]

There's a picture of the Binley shopping precinct development in today's telegraph. I didn't realise it was so big - over 20 shop units. Certainly will give Binley a "town centre" - quite a large one as well. I didn't realise it was going to be this scale. It seems to be mainly small units - Costa Coffee type of things.

No big retail barns then. Sounds sensible.

[Scazmattaz]

No but some of the units are reasonably large - Woolworths, Boots, Halfords style things. This has the potential of damaging the city centre anyway. Why is it that Coventry is the only place with all these 'local centre' retail parks? I dont know of anywhere else with them.

[rottersclub]

No but some of the units are reasonably large - Woolworths, Boots, Halfords style things. This has the potential of damaging the city centre anyway. Why is it that Coventry is the only place with all these 'local centre' retail parks? I dont know of anywhere else with them.

The picture in the telegraph showed about 20 small units, and no new warehouse type units - it looked like there might be one or two larger ones.

The development looks very much like a "high Street", with a square and a car park. It looks pretty ugly and cheap, but it should be good for a local "centre", especially if it has some bars and restaurants.

Other cities have better "local" centres than Coventry - Coventry grew too quickly and they never developed (Apart from the older areas like Ball Hill and Earlsdon, where houses were turned into shops to create a high street) and perhaps Foleshill. Others were either purpose built after the war (Cannon Park, Jardine Crescent, etc) or other areas ended up without local facilities. I find the new "local centres" dull and lacking in character, and also at odds with their surroundings.

I'll try to scan it in later.

[Scazmattaz]

Cool.

Looks like im moving to the City Centre in the next few months... cue the discouraging comments...

[Jags]

Cool.

Looks like im moving to the City Centre in the next few months... cue the discouraging comments...

Someone needs to move into the city centre,lol. I dont think its all that bad.
Are you moving into one of the new developments or one of the older ones?

[sleslie48]

Ive lived in the city centre for the past 3 years and wouldn't want to be outside it. I don't aim to live anywhere that isn't CV1. To be honest, I always feel safe in the centre, it's when I go outside of it that it gets dodgy (maybe thats cos theres actually people outside the centre!!) Looking at any area in particular? Theres not an awfull lot of choice I guess.

[sleslie48]

Bit off topic but does anyone know whats happening with the outer ring road? There was an article a while back about completeing the circuit but havent heard anything since. It's desperatly needed I think.

Also, I was driving round today and tried to avoid the ring road on the way back from meriden to the canal basin. It's so hard! If there was an outer ring road and ALL traffic wasn't directed onto the inner ring road, everything would flow so much better. It's ridiculous, the ring roads busy cos you HAVE to use it, even to get somewhere thats really close.

[rottersclub]

Cool.

Looks like im moving to the City Centre in the next few months... cue the discouraging comments...

A friend of mine lives in the city centre and loves it.

[rottersclub]

Bit off topic but does anyone know whats happening with the outer ring road? There was an article a while back about completeing the circuit but havent heard anything since. It's desperatly needed I think.

Also, I was driving round today and tried to avoid the ring road on the way back from meriden to the canal basin. It's so hard! If there was an outer ring road and ALL traffic wasn't directed onto the inner ring road, everything would flow so much better. It's ridiculous, the ring roads busy cos you HAVE to use it, even to get somewhere thats really close.

I have been saying this for years - the lack of decent outer ringroad forces people to go into the centre and out again when it'd be better to go around the outskirts. An outer ringroad would make my commute easier.

[Scazmattaz]

Road Pricing and the associated Transport Innovation Fund is the only way to get the circuit and other projects complete. Otherwise there isn't any funding available. Coventry will be putting their case to the government for pricing however the lack of congestion could cause a problem lol.

Im looking at Osbourne House - you heard / seen it? Not sure if its 100% go yet... will find out later on today!

[rottersclub]

Road Pricing and the associated Transport Innovation Fund is the only way to get the circuit and other projects complete. Otherwise there isn't any funding available. Coventry will be putting their case to the government for pricing however the lack of congestion could cause a problem lol.

Im looking at Osbourne House - you heard / seen it? Not sure if its 100% go yet... will find out later on today!

Osborne House - isn't that the one at the end of Starley Road? It's got an office suite in it. It's stepped up in height as it gets nearer the ringroad.

Road pricing is going to be the next poll tax. People will not pay it.

[Scazmattaz]

Yah thats the one! There seemed to be some students living there - and some random guys walked out while i was waiting for the agent and exchanged money for 'something' with someone in a car... shit happens i guess! When i lived in Selly Oak the drug dealers used to be driving around all the time passing things through the windows.

[Dr Pepper]

It that the block with the tin roof?

[inspired]

its gone all quiet on development plans/ news in coventry. :ohno:

can anyone add any new updates to this thread.

[Dr Pepper]

Well the Herbert extension is beginning to rise opposite the cathedral. It's just a wall of concrete so far.

[rottersclub]

its gone all quiet on development plans/ news in coventry. :ohno:

can anyone add any new updates to this thread.

Nope... Lots of plans. Nothing started. No Butts Apartments. No Victoria buildings, etc. I doubt a lot of it's going to happen.

[Jonny Gee]

There is a crane on the Earlsdon "skyline".:) Are they building anything interesting, Martin?

[Jags]

Nope... Lots of plans. Nothing started. No Butts Apartments. No Victoria buildings, etc. I doubt a lot of it's going to happen.

I think that the butts apartments wont happen yet because the college hasnt vacated the buildings as of yet.

Victoria buildings has stalled, i dont know why, but could it possibly be to do with the people who own the barracks? Maybe another development plan?

[rottersclub]

There is a crane on the Earlsdon "skyline".:) Are they building anything interesting, Martin?

There are two developments in Earlsdon - the Warwick Street apartments and retail units. Further up the road, a whole row of old Edwardian houses has been demolished to make way for a "retirement" village.

[rottersclub]

I think that the butts apartments wont happen yet because the college hasnt vacated the buildings as of yet.

Victoria buildings has stalled, i dont know why, but could it possibly be to do with the people who own the barracks? Maybe another development plan?

Butts Apartments are next to the Ramada, on the land that used to be a car park. They demolished the car park some time ago. The Butts college development is a separate development.

Why would barracks have anything to do with Victoria Buildings? They're nowhere near each other.

[Jags]

Butts Apartments are next to the Ramada, on the land that used to be a car park. They demolished the car park some time ago. The Butts college development is a separate development.

Why would barracks have anything to do with Victoria Buildings? They're nowhere near each other.

Oh i thought that the butts apartments was part of the college development now?

I thought the owners of the barracks owned the land all around it including the arcade? Maybe they bought it up?

[rottersclub]

Oh i thought that the butts apartments was part of the college development now?

I thought the owners of the barracks owned the land all around it including the arcade? Maybe they bought it up?

No... The Butts apartments are totally different to the college development... The development includes a swimming pool/health club/bar for the Ramada Hotel.

If they could get rid off all the ugly flats in Spon End, that area of town could be excellent!

[sleslie48]

If they could get rid of a lot of ugly buildings in coventry it would be better!

Driving on swanswell part of the ring road, I can't believe how much room that junction takes up. It's good theyre getting rid of it, but thats only half the problem. It's even more surprising how much room the bus station and depo take up, someone slap the council! And they say it would cause too much congestion to lower it, but surely the beauty of the ring road is that they can leave the junctions intact as long as possible and people can go the other way round! Simple minded view I know but Im sure it's not as bad as they make out it would be.

Went up far gosford street today, the improvements I think are really bad, it's basically just new pavements to allow buses to go up. Why do buses need to go up there?! It now looks like a modern street layout with old buildings stuck on the side, should have contextualised it better.

Sorry for the rant, you guys are like councelling sessions for me!

Theres a new sign on Ko Poda. I only caught a glimpse as I drove past but the sign looked like it could be clubby, other hand it might be a developers logo. Anyone know?

[Dr Pepper]

Driving on swanswell part of the ring road, I can't believe how much room that junction takes up. It's good theyre getting rid of it, but thats only half the problem. It's even more surprising how much room the bus station and depo take up, someone slap the council! And they say it would cause too much congestion to lower it, but surely the beauty of the ring road is that they can leave the junctions intact as long as possible and people can go the other way round! Simple minded view I know but Im sure it's not as bad as they make out it would be.

The thing that really frustrates me about keeping the ring road elevated and just removing junction 2 is that is creates dead land between the back of the bus station and the ring road. What exactly is this land useful for? Something cheap is the only answer I can think of.

And is the bus depot actually going to go? It was only a couple of weeks ago that the building next to the old cinema one building was demolished to create a bus turning area.

[rottersclub]

If they could get rid of a lot of ugly buildings in coventry it would be better!

Driving on swanswell part of the ring road, I can't believe how much room that junction takes up. It's good theyre getting rid of it, but thats only half the problem. It's even more surprising how much room the bus station and depo take up, someone slap the council! And they say it would cause too much congestion to lower it, but surely the beauty of the ring road is that they can leave the junctions intact as long as possible and people can go the other way round! Simple minded view I know but Im sure it's not as bad as they make out it would be.

Went up far gosford street today, the improvements I think are really bad, it's basically just new pavements to allow buses to go up. Why do buses need to go up there?! It now looks like a modern street layout with old buildings stuck on the side, should have contextualised it better.

Sorry for the rant, you guys are like councelling sessions for me!

Theres a new sign on Ko Poda. I only caught a glimpse as I drove past but the sign looked like it could be clubby, other hand it might be a developers logo. Anyone know?

I had a day off work last week and had a lot of errands to do and stuff in town. I drive around the ringroad a few times, and it struck as to how dumb and small it is. It just seems completely wrong, with all those flyovers and roundabouts as junctions.... Too much wasted land, and it's surrounded by emtpy land or derelict, unused buildings and rows of ugly old factory worker houses. Look at the London Road junction. What a mess.

It's amazing - somewhere that was "planned" is such a mess.

Why did they make the ringroad circular? What a dumb idea! Didn't they realise that a circular road would create pockets of oddly shaped land that no one would be able to use?

[Dr Pepper]

Went up far gosford street today, the improvements I think are really bad, it's basically just new pavements to allow buses to go up. Why do buses need to go up there?! It now looks like a modern street layout with old buildings stuck on the side, should have contextualised it better.

I for onethink they have done a decent job. The street is now one way easing up the traffic problems and there is new paving and kerbing to stop the on-street parking. The old toilet block at the top is gone and replaced with new greenery and paving. There has even been some new buildings built in some of the gaps and I think there is money available for the shop owners to improve the frontages. Several of the timber framed buildings are in the process of being restored as well.

[rottersclub]

The thing that really frustrates me about keeping the ring road elevated and just removing junction 2 is that is creates dead land between the back of the bus station and the ring road. What exactly is this land useful for? Something cheap is the only answer I can think of.

And is the bus depot actually going to go? It was only a couple of weeks ago that the building next to the old cinema one building was demolished to create a bus turning area.

Rather than do the right thing and recreate urban grids & surface level roads, they are doing dumb stuff like creating big steel bridges. They've already made a huge mistake with the bus station. It'll end up closing, I'm sure, in a few years time.

What makes it worse is that I rarely have any reason to go into the city centre.

The new Belgrade theatre extension looks absolutely shit. Sorry, but it's absolutely awful. It looks like something from Stalin's Russia.

[rottersclub]

I for onethink they have done a decent job. The street is now one way easing up the traffic problems and there is new paving and kerbing to stop the on-street parking. The old toilet block at the top is gone and replaced with new greenery and paving. There has even been some new buildings built in some of the gaps and I think there is money available for the shop owners to improve the frontages. Several of the timber framed buildings are in the process of being restored as well.

They did this 15 years ago when I was a student. It looked shit 2 years later. It'll look shit in 2 years time again. They need to remove the students, the horrible takeaways and most of the people who live in the surroundings streets!

[jonbon88]

Rather than do the right thing and recreate urban grids & surface level roads, they are doing dumb stuff like creating big steel bridges. They've already made a huge mistake with the bus station. It'll end up closing, I'm sure, in a few years time.

What makes it worse is that I rarely have any reason to go into the city centre.

The new Belgrade theatre extension looks absolutely shit. Sorry, but it's absolutely awful. It looks like something from Stalin's Russia.

i really have to disagree, i think the new theater looks great, its really going to make a difference to the city center and its the only thing thats different at the moment, its giving the city more architectural variety and its helping break up the mass of concrete that coventry consists of.

[Dr Pepper]

[QUOTE=MartinN;13335115]What makes it worse is that I rarely have any reason to go into the city centre.QUOTE]


Thats the problem with the centre. In terms of shopping there is very little in the centre that can't be found on a retail park. That why there are radio adverts at christmas advertising the centre!

[inspired]

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=cov-is-a--concrete-centre---%26method=full%26objectid=19182348%26siteid=50003-name_page.html

Coventry Evening Telegraph article about the recent edition of
Lonely Planet....

To the council....wake up and do something!!!!:bash:

[rottersclub]

i really have to disagree, i think the new theater looks great, its really going to make a difference to the city center and its the only thing thats different at the moment, its giving the city more architectural variety and its helping break up the mass of concrete that coventry consists of.

You're kidding? That new theatre looks awful from the ringroad when you drive past it on the ringroad - it looks like a cardboard box that's been painted black! Horrible. It doesn't even fit in with the old theatre building, which is quite decent. I actually think it's as bland and awful as the majority of the city centre, which is disappointing - compare it to the new theatre in Leicester, for example.


It'll only be good if it gets used and people turn up for the shows.

[rottersclub]

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=cov-is-a--concrete-centre---%26method=full%26objectid=19182348%26siteid=50003-name_page.html

Coventry Evening Telegraph article about the recent edition of
Lonely Planet....

To the council....wake up and do something!!!!:bash:

These sort of slatings have been going on year after year... It's nothing new!

[Scazmattaz]

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=cov-is-a--concrete-centre---%26method=full%26objectid=19182348%26siteid=50003-name_page.html

Coventry Evening Telegraph article about the recent edition of
Lonely Planet....

To the council....wake up and do something!!!!:bash:

The council are trying bloody hard i can tell you that for sure! Its just bloody difficult to get anything sorted with politicians and land assembly working with the private sector; the system they have to use is a cock-up.

All this business about pedestrianisation of the burges is nonsense, Stagecoach are gonna take the council to the ombudsman if they even attempt to do it... or should i say if Cllr Foster even attempts to do it! It wont happen.

On a lighter note the buildings on St Patricks Road where that 13 storey apartment block has PP are going to be knocked down in the next few weeks if all goes to plan.

[rottersclub]

The council are trying bloody hard i can tell you that for sure! Its just bloody difficult to get anything sorted with politicians and land assembly working with the private sector; the system they have to use is a cock-up.

All this business about pedestrianisation of the burges is nonsense, Stagecoach are gonna take the council to the ombudsman if they even attempt to do it... or should i say if Cllr Foster even attempts to do it! It wont happen.

On a lighter note the buildings on St Patricks Road where that 13 storey apartment block has PP are going to be knocked down in the next few weeks if all goes to plan.

Good! I drove past there the other day and at least one of those manky old houses seem to be burnt out now!

The whole thing is a mess from the looks of it - indeed, a bit like Coventry, really!

[Jags]

There has been alot of complaints about the length of time that the council takes on deciding the approval or rejection of planning applications by many development firms, there needs to be a set system in place that actually works or this will deter any possible redevelopment in the city because of the time ot takes for things to be approved.

The ring road needs to be removed not built over, this will only make things worse in the longrun, i just dont understand why it needs to be elevated, it could easily be at surface level and then maybe the city will actually have a street scape again.

[Jags]

This was a short snippet of a large artice that i found on propertyweek last night.

....Such prime developments would include Coventry city centre, where Modus is close to finalising the purchase of the West Orchard shopping centre from Prudential. From there, it will work with the local authority and Morley, the other large landowner in the city, to draw up a masterplan to overhaul the city centre.

‘Coventry really needs something,’ says Flood. ‘I think it is fair to say that it is character-free. The local authority wants a new masterplan to happen and we will be involved in that. It is a huge undertaking but is a demonstration that we are serious about moving into city centre redevelopment.’.....

Its probably a long way off yet, but it is a good sign for coventry that things are moving in the rite direction, with this, friarsgate, belgrade plaza,millenium view, ikea, victoria buildings, axa development. All are good signs that people are taking coventry seriously as the next big thing. My concern is that the confidence just isnt there to actually get the ball rolling on any of the developments.

[rottersclub]

There has been alot of complaints about the length of time that the council takes on deciding the approval or rejection of planning applications by many development firms, there needs to be a set system in place that actually works or this will deter any possible redevelopment in the city because of the time ot takes for things to be approved.

The ring road needs to be removed not built over, this will only make things worse in the longrun, i just dont understand why it needs to be elevated, it could easily be at surface level and then maybe the city will actually have a street scape again.

It needs to be made "square" as well. A ring creates problems with developing the land.

[rottersclub]

This was a short snippet of a large artice that i found on propertyweek last night.

....Such prime developments would include Coventry city centre, where Modus is close to finalising the purchase of the West Orchard shopping centre from Prudential. From there, it will work with the local authority and Morley, the other large landowner in the city, to draw up a masterplan to overhaul the city centre.

‘Coventry really needs something,’ says Flood. ‘I think it is fair to say that it is character-free. The local authority wants a new masterplan to happen and we will be involved in that. It is a huge undertaking but is a demonstration that we are serious about moving into city centre redevelopment.’.....

Its probably a long way off yet, but it is a good sign for coventry that things are moving in the rite direction, with this, friarsgate, belgrade plaza,millenium view, ikea, victoria buildings, axa development. All are good signs that people are taking coventry seriously as the next big thing. My concern is that the confidence just isnt there to actually get the ball rolling on any of the developments.

This is good news.

I suspect we may see big changes in the near future. Good!

[Jags]

Norman Hay to sell Coventry freehold to Unite for up to £9.3m


Article 4416029
AFX - 24 May 2007

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Norman Hay announced a conditional agreement has been reached to sell its Coventry freehold site to a subsidiary of UNITE Group, the student accommodation company, for up to £9.3m.
The site currently incorporates the Norman Hay Head Office, Norman Hay Engineering, Ultraseal International, MX Systems International and some of Surface Technology's coatings business, the company said, adding the sale proceeds will be used in part to fund relocation costs, with the remaining proceeds being reinvested in the company to fund future growth.

Norman Hay said any sale is subject to an acceptable planning permission being granted, with a first instalment of 2.0 mln stg payable upon receipt of such permission.

A second instalment of between 5.5-7.0 mln stg will be paid dependent upon the number of beds developed on the site.

The sale of the property is also conditional upon the release or modification of a restrictive covenant which affects part of the site, Norman Hay said.

[rottersclub]

Norman Hay to sell Coventry freehold to Unite for up to £9.3m


Article 4416029
AFX - 24 May 2007

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Norman Hay announced a conditional agreement has been reached to sell its Coventry freehold site to a subsidiary of UNITE Group, the student accommodation company, for up to £9.3m.
The site currently incorporates the Norman Hay Head Office, Norman Hay Engineering, Ultraseal International, MX Systems International and some of Surface Technology's coatings business, the company said, adding the sale proceeds will be used in part to fund relocation costs, with the remaining proceeds being reinvested in the company to fund future growth.

Norman Hay said any sale is subject to an acceptable planning permission being granted, with a first instalment of 2.0 mln stg payable upon receipt of such permission.

A second instalment of between 5.5-7.0 mln stg will be paid dependent upon the number of beds developed on the site.

The sale of the property is also conditional upon the release or modification of a restrictive covenant which affects part of the site, Norman Hay said.

Great. More cheap and ugly looking student flats. Just what that area needs.

Then again, with the ringroad no longer going, I suppose the land's no good. The council have truly missed the boat - now that area is going to be filled with student flats. Not good.

I guess this means "Godiva Place" isn't going to happen now.

[Jags]

is that where godiva place was going to be? Shame, but i think it will be good and add alot of vibrancy to the area by keeping all of the students in one place. They have also built student accomodation behind the cov uni library aswell. Unite have bought most of that part of this city. But then again the more students living in the centre the more money gets spent in it. Surely this can only be good for the economy locally?

[rottersclub]

is that where godiva place was going to be? Shame, but i think it will be good and add alot of vibrancy to the area by keeping all of the students in one place. They have also built student accomodation behind the cov uni library aswell. Unite have bought most of that part of this city. But then again the more students living in the centre the more money gets spent in it. Surely this can only be good for the economy locally?

Yes, that is where Godiva Place was going to be - in fact, there's a small street there called "Godiva Place"

It'll add nothing to the city - students are only there half the year, the rest of the time they aren't there. It won't attract business, and most of the pubs there have already gone. It'll turn it into a student ghetto that's noisy and rowdy half the year, and deserted for the rest of the year - and what makes it more annoying, it ruins any chance of Far Gosford Street being redeveloped. Look at Gosford Street - it's been ruined since it became pretty much student only.

And yes, I was a student once, and yes, I didn't like the herd mentality of them then, and don't want to see any more of Coventry turn into dreadful student bars/pubs.

[sleslie48]

I think Coventry's likely to loose any sense of character or identity or individuality in the future. At the moment, it's crap but has a uniquness to it, this needs to be utilised and considered developments need to be constructed.

Its going to be very easy to let anything be built in the centre, cos lets face it, it would probably be better than whatever is there at the moment. However, when I go around cities, theres a lot of cheap stuff. In another 30-40 years the city will be in the same state will buildings that were ok for now but date and become shabby quickly.

All these big developments are good such as friarsgate and belgrade plaza but I think the council (if I trusted them) should ensure some kind of character is maintained. As an example, the plans that were thrown around for the precinct sounded like there could just be another West Orchard style american mall thing, that will just be the same as anywhere else. The precinct should be modernised, it's unique and can be good if redeveloped well.

Just for the record I'm not under the illusion that Coventry has a York "character" - but Coventry is definately individual, and this needs to be converted into a good identity.

Just a thought.

[rottersclub]

I think Coventry's likely to loose any sense of character or identity or individuality in the future. At the moment, it's crap but has a uniquness to it, this needs to be utilised and considered developments need to be constructed.

Its going to be very easy to let anything be built in the centre, cos lets face it, it would probably be better than whatever is there at the moment. However, when I go around cities, theres a lot of cheap stuff. In another 30-40 years the city will be in the same state will buildings that were ok for now but date and become shabby quickly.

All these big developments are good such as friarsgate and belgrade plaza but I think the council (if I trusted them) should ensure some kind of character is maintained. As an example, the plans that were thrown around for the precinct sounded like there could just be another West Orchard style american mall thing, that will just be the same as anywhere else. The precinct should be modernised, it's unique and can be good if redeveloped well.

Just for the record I'm not under the illusion that Coventry has a York "character" - but Coventry is definately individual, and this needs to be converted into a good identity.

Just a thought.

Personally, I don't think Coventry has much character, and the precinct is perhaps one of the ugliest and worst shopping areas of any major city in the UK. It's also why a lot of people shop elsewhere. The layout is poor, the buildings harsh and ugly, and it looks bloody depressing when it's grey and windy. It's a mish-mash of failed experiments.

What Coventry needs is reasons for people to go into the centre. At the moment, there's virtually no reason to do so unless you're a student or a bingo player. The theatre will reopen soon, but there's still a lack of cultural events and venues putting on entertainment. The layout of the centre is poor, nothing is linked and the streets are just dead.

Until someone in the council realises that they need to link up areas, the place will forever be a crap shopping ghetto stuck in a concrete necklace.

[jonbon88]

Personally, I don't think Coventry has much character, and the precinct is perhaps one of the ugliest and worst shopping areas of any major city in the UK. It's also why a lot of people shop elsewhere. The layout is poor, the buildings harsh and ugly, and it looks bloody depressing when it's grey and windy. It's a mish-mash of failed experiments.

What Coventry needs is reasons for people to go into the centre. At the moment, there's virtually no reason to do so unless you're a student or a bingo player. The theatre will reopen soon, but there's still a lack of cultural events and venues putting on entertainment. The layout of the centre is poor, nothing is linked and the streets are just dead.

Until someone in the council realises that they need to link up areas, the place will forever be a crap shopping ghetto stuck in a concrete necklace.


the precinct is not really that much of a bad place to shop at least the building area made from brick and not concrete blocks.
what i would love to see in coventry is the demolition of cathedral lanes to open it up into a central park for the city center which stretches right up to the cathedral its self . coventry city center does lack in parks and green space, i can only recall 3 parks. i did find pictures on the internet for such a plan but they go back to the post war planning and obviously never became reality.

i would post the pictures but i really dont know how
sorry .

[sleslie48]

I know the precinct isn't great but it's a piece of the cities heritage, love it or loath it. I think it could be modernised to not be so drab and be a desierable place to go.

I persoanlly think that they could extend the shop fronts to the edge of the balcony to make them bigger. I think someone on here was saying they are too small. If they extended it like this it would make them bigger, not considerably I know, but could be perfect for bars' restraunts which often have that long layout. The property use definately needs diversifying. The precinct would be perfect for outdoor seating too.

I only really mean the upper precinct, market way/smithford way need serious redevelopment/knocking down, but the lower precinct was done well, and I think the upper could be even better.

I also don't think the layout it that bad, it just needs linking up. Theres too many buildings accross/blocking streets: broadgate house, primark, elephant, britania etc.

I just think that it willmostly be redeveloped with cheaop developments because thats the only option. Not the council's fault necessarily, just the way the world is now. I don't think that will make it any better.

[rottersclub]

I know the precinct isn't great but it's a piece of the cities heritage, love it or loath it. I think it could be modernised to not be so drab and be a desierable place to go.

I persoanlly think that they could extend the shop fronts to the edge of the balcony to make them bigger. I think someone on here was saying they are too small. If they extended it like this it would make them bigger, not considerably I know, but could be perfect for bars' restraunts which often have that long layout. The property use definately needs diversifying. The precinct would be perfect for outdoor seating too.

I only really mean the upper precinct, market way/smithford way need serious redevelopment/knocking down, but the lower precinct was done well, and I think the upper could be even better.

I also don't think the layout it that bad, it just needs linking up. Theres too many buildings accross/blocking streets: broadgate house, primark, elephant, britania etc.

I just think that it willmostly be redeveloped with cheaop developments because thats the only option. Not the council's fault necessarily, just the way the world is now. I don't think that will make it any better.

The layout is absolutely awful. It's full of dead ends that don't go anywhere, and cycles you round in a circle. The round market is an absolute eyesore, and hertford street is a disgrace.

Honestly, they tore out the character of the precinct in the 1990s when they removed all the public art and architectural features. Now it's just a dreary windswept square filled with tatty bargain shops, litter and a balcony that's _never_ worked. Oh, and they've stuck ramps and elevators in to try to make it work. The units were too small so they had to knock them together or expand upwards. The upper tier never worked. It was originally more like a proper square with fountains and public art, but that was all taken out.

Cov'll never be "joined up". It's been planned to death, and now there isn't the money to fix it. Outside the precinct, the place is generally deserted. It's such a soulless city centre. Compare it to Leicester, which has a huge main street, a big mall, and then a large area of narrow streets and arcades. Much more character. Leeds is the same, and Manchester is excellent now where they rebuilt it after the IRA bombing. That's an example of how to use old buildings and make them a feature. Coventry's still trying to bodge a failed precinct together with bits of metal and neon.

[Scazmattaz]

Submission of details for the next phase of Belgrade occured last week. Once these are approved then the next phase can begin...

[Scazmattaz]

Infact further to that post a lot of the submissions were made a few weeks back and have been accepted. Id expect things to start moving pretty shortly!

[rottersclub]

Infact further to that post a lot of the submissions were made a few weeks back and have been accepted. Id expect things to start moving pretty shortly!

They told me "May" when I e-mailled them...

Is this phase with the hotel and mini tower?

[rottersclub]

Well according to a list in the Daily Telegraph based on some research, Coventry has very low burglary rates.

http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_headline=city-has-lowest-burglary-rate-%26method=full%26objectid=19213408%26siteid=50003-name_page.html

[Dr Pepper]

I know the precinct isn't great but it's a piece of the cities heritage, love it or loath it. I think it could be modernised to not be so drab and be a desierable place to go.

I persoanlly think that they could extend the shop fronts to the edge of the balcony to make them bigger. I think someone on here was saying they are too small. If they extended it like this it would make them bigger, not considerably I know, but could be perfect for bars' restraunts which often have that long layout. The property use definately needs diversifying. The precinct would be perfect for outdoor seating too.

I only really mean the upper precinct, market way/smithford way need serious redevelopment/knocking down, but the lower precinct was done well, and I think the upper could be even better.

I also don't think the layout it that bad, it just needs linking up. Theres too many buildings accross/blocking streets: broadgate house, primark, elephant, britania etc.

I just think that it willmostly be redeveloped with cheaop developments because thats the only option. Not the council's fault necessarily, just the way the world is now. I don't think that will make it any better.

I for one agree that the precinct is basically alright. The modern additions of the ramp, escalator etc should be removed and perhaps the muzak could be stoped. The basic cross shaped layout should give people a reason to move out from the fountain but at the present this is limited. Beyond Woolworths there is little in the way of shops (that are still open) as the Coventry Point tower acts as a barrier. The same is true of the block of flats next to West Orchards.

Hopefully Belgrade Plaza, Ikea, the recent centre redevelopment proposals and even Friar Gate could give people a good reason to move from one part
of the centre to another. Of course there are issues of parking, unit size, store brands etc but I don't think the centre is beyond saving. To knock the whole lot down and start again will only recreate the same problems we face now in 40/50 years time.

[rottersclub]

Wibble.

I hate the precint with a vengeance. I grew up in Burnley, and hate that precinct as well, and the one in Blackburn. Godawful, soulless places.

Then again, I don't like the Bullring much either!!!

I'm more interested in them bringing some culture into the city centre - live music, for example. There seems to be no interest in this. People aren't going to come to Coventry to go to crap bars and chain restaurants.

The place is aimed at mainly kids and students in the evening.

[ccfc-4-life]

Wibble.

I hate the precint with a vengeance. I grew up in Burnley, and hate that precinct as well, and the one in Blackburn. Godawful, soulless places.

Then again, I don't like the Bullring much either!!!

I'm more interested in them bringing some culture into the city centre - live music, for example. There seems to be no interest in this. People aren't going to come to Coventry to go to crap bars and chain restaurants.

The place is aimed at mainly kids and students in the evening.

yes, but you have to remember, Coventry is considered as the shadow of brum, why go to watch live music etc. when the nec is a 1/2 hour drive away. What coventry has done so far is tryed to bring people into the city for other purposes, for something Birmingham hasnt got, that is Coventry City Council's plan, but, alas, it is not working, i for one would love to see a new venue built in the city centre that could bring a cultural side to the place...

[rottersclub]

yes, but you have to remember, Coventry is considered as the shadow of brum, why go to watch live music etc. when the nec is a 1/2 hour drive away. What coventry has done so far is tryed to bring people into the city for other purposes, for something Birmingham hasnt got, that is Coventry City Council's plan, but, alas, it is not working, i for one would love to see a new venue built in the city centre that could bring a cultural side to the place...

The Brum argument is bollocks. Cov is far enough away from Brum and has its own large catchment area - Wolverhampton for instance has a thriving live music scene, and it's closer to Brum. Coventry used to have a thriving music scene years ago, but the venues have all gone and there are no promoters. The council in Coventry have been using "Brum is close" since the war as an excuse to keep Coventry shit. The Belgrade theatre manages with a catchment of over a million people, as far south as Northampton.

The NEC is for large acts, but the majority of acts want smaller venues... I personally won't waste money on Arena acts. They're a rip off. I prefer a smaller venue.

The biggest threat to Coventry city centre having any sort of music venue is the Arts Centre at Warwick Uni - I've seen a few acts there this year that have been packed out.

I can't see that they've done anything to get people into the city centre - apart from a couple of chain bars.

[ccfc-4-life]

I can't see that they've done anything to get people into the city centre - apart from a couple of chain bars.

Transport Museum? Frank Whittle Arches? Belgrade Theatre Extension? Skydome? Ikea? New Precinct?

all of these things have or will bring thousands more people into the city centre, and the developments above are very recent. So if Coventry has had all of these projects built in only the past couple of years than who knows what could be on its way...

[rottersclub]

Transport Museum? Frank Whittle Arches? Belgrade Theatre Extension? Skydome? Ikea? New Precinct?

all of these things have or will bring thousands more people into the city centre, and the developments above are very recent. So if Coventry has had all of these projects built in only the past couple of years than who knows what could be on its way...

What's so special about these? The Belgrade theatre already brought people in before it closed for refurb, and Skydome is just chain bars aimed at teenagers. Ikea will bring traffic chaos and people who just drive in and straight out again. None of those things you mention can touch the developments in Brum over the years - Brindley Place, Symphony Hall, etc. What's Coventry had? A cheap shack with a crap Ice skaing rink attached to it with one of the worse arenas ever built inside it.

The museum is only of interest to the meagre amount of tourists that come here, and the whittle arches are irrelevent, and generally considered a waste of space [I like them].

Economically, the amount of cash spent in shops in Coventry is less than Leamington. The Lower Precinct has done nothing much to improve this. The rest of precinct is slowly emptying.

Shops, chain bars and a provincial theatre showing maybe 5 or 6 shows a year and a panto. It's hardly impressive. Warwick Arts Centre has far more variety in one site than the whole of the city centre. The city centre's big problem is that it has no sustainable evening economy unless it's a student bar. Even the jailhouse has closed down now - people simply don't go into Coventry. I know people who've been arranging nights in Coventry, and they just give up after a while - people just aren't interested.


What is the point of the Herbert Art Gallery? Do they ever do anything that isn't during a weekday when everyone's at work? What a waste of time.

The council are living in cloud cuckoo land - they keep announcing these great plans like Swanswell, 4th spire, etc, and they all end up as nought - cheap student flats in Swanswell dominated by a huge flyover.

[ccfc-4-life]

Moan all you want, it seems like nothing can please you. You sound as if you think that nothing is good enough for you or anyone else. Most of your points above are partially incorrect and you have only succeeded in naming the bad points of those overall decent developments.
It really gets to me how you can just moan like a child everyday posting miserable comments about the place you are living in. I have Lived in Coventry for over 30 years, i have travelled here and there throughout my life, and have seen some horrible places. Martin, i ask you one thing, name one place in the UK that is better than Coventry in every field, that ticks all the boxes, there is no such place. I look at Coventry and I see great potential, i see a prestiegeous(sp) future ahead, its just going to take a while to set this town straight.
I'm not trying to have a go at you Martin, and i dont dislike you or anything like that, im guessing you're a nice guy. Just...lighten up a little mate;)

[rottersclub]

Moan all you want, it seems like nothing can please you. You sound as if you think that nothing is good enough for you or anyone else. Most of your points above are partially incorrect and you have only succeeded in naming the bad points of those overall decent developments.
It really gets to me how you can just moan like a child everyday posting miserable comments about the place you are living in. I have Lived in Coventry for over 30 years, i have travelled here and there throughout my life, and have seen some horrible places. Martin, i ask you one thing, name one place in the UK that is better than Coventry in every field, that ticks all the boxes, there is no such place. I look at Coventry and I see great potential, i see a prestiegeous(sp) future ahead, its just going to take a while to set this town straight.
I'm not trying to have a go at you Martin, and i dont dislike you or anything like that, im guessing you're a nice guy. Just...lighten up a little mate;)

Before you start going all defensive, I'm talking about the city centre - I like Earlsdon a lot, where I live, and Warwick Uni Arts centre is an oasis in this place.

[rottersclub]

Just glancing at the planning portal, and I notice there are more plans for the technology business park at Whitley (Jaguar) going through, plus a load of plans for the big development on the old Peugot plant in Stoke. Oh, and some more buildings for the Cov Uni Technology park - a healthcare centre.

Does anyone know how far the new Herbert Art Gallery extension has got? Not been around there for some time.

Missing in Action?:

Butts Apartments?
Paragon Park?
Victorian Building?

PS: There are plenty of cities and smaller towns in the UK that "tick all the boxes".